


Nightshade's Shoes

by punk_pandame



Series: Tales from The Lime [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Anal Fisting, Anal Plug, Anal Sex, Angst, Arguing, Arson, BDSM, Beaches, Begging, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Boot Worship, Bottom Uchiha Sasuke, Bouncer Uzumaki Naruto, Car Sex, Closet Sex, Closure, Dirty Talk, Drunk Sex, Fights, First Time, Flashbacks, Genderfluid Uchiha Sasuke, Handcuffs, High Heels, Hurt/Comfort, Kitchen Sex, M/M, Making Up, Multiple Orgasms, Nonbinary Uchiha Sasuke, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Past Abuse, Post-Break Up, Reconciliation Sex, Revenge, Rimming, Rough Sex, Sensory Deprivation, Shoe Kink, Shower Sex, Stiletto Heels, Strap-Ons, Stripper Uchiha Sasuke, Tender Sex, Top Uzumaki Naruto, Trans Uchiha Sasuke, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Wall Sex, they/them pronouns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:27:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 34,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27833005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_pandame/pseuds/punk_pandame
Summary: Just an exotic dancer and a bouncer having really hot sex. Featuring nonbinary trans-masc Sasuke and Naruto's shoe fetish.WIP, NSFW, All acts are consensual
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: Tales from The Lime [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061780
Comments: 74
Kudos: 110





	1. Black with the Criss-Crossed Straps

Naruto couldn't help but watch out of the corner of his eye.

He did his job well, no one could say he wasn't doing it. Not that it took any brains in particular to check ID's and unclip a rope all night long- being a bouncer was pretty fucking boring most of the time, as it turned out. He often found himself wanting someone to start a fight just so he could get a little excitement in his life. Then again, he wouldn't want anything to ruin Nightshade's performance. It was less about not breaking their concentration- the guy was unflappable- and far more about keeping them from joining in a throwdown. Nightshade may look classy in their heels and corset, but deep down, they were the same street fighter Naruto was. 

It was a slow night. Nightshade worked the pole for a group of visiting businessmen. They were in their element. Sweat made their skin shine, their muscles lean but defined, and _god_ were they flexible. They climbed to the top of the pole with an elegance Naruto could only dream of and dropped back down in a series of slow, graceful spins using only their legs, their spine arched all the way back, their hair falling backward and revealing the entirety of their face. They made the raunchy sport of pole dancing seem like art. _They_ were art. Naruto hated having to turn his attention back to the door as a stampede of barely-legal kids came in for a reserved birthday party. He just wanted to watch Nightshade forever.

He checked their ID's. He knew at least two of them were fake. Rather than throw them out, he gave them a stern look and drew X's in Sharpie on the backs of their hands. They pouted miserably, but didn't give him a hard time. _If you want drinks, have your friends sneak 'em to you like we did growing up. Earn some skills._ He followed the group as they passed Nightshade's station. All of them turned their heads to look, but one in particular paused a moment to stare in awe. Naruto couldn't help but smile. _Yep, they're one of a kind._

The whole place was, really. The Lime was the only "co-ed" strip club in the entire city. Also unique to their establishment was the fact that they mainly catered to the LGBTQ+ crowd. The dancers ranged from typical hunky guys in underwear to drag queens to stone butches to high femmes and everyone in between. Nightshade filled a niche no one else could, and pulled in a more varied crowd than anyone else. They were dark and elegant, effortlessly sophisticated, and they blended the masculine and feminine with a fluidity so smooth that no one at work knew their actual gender. Their customers certainly didn't; it was the fantasy of imagining what they could be that kept them coming. Nightshade was an enigma to everyone except Naruto. Naruto knew Nightshade better than anyone. At the end of the night, they abandoned their stage name for Naruto alone. They left their persona at the door as they fell into his arms, and his only. Naruto couldn't help but feel a little possessiveness over them and their true identity.

Nightshade exiting the stage was Naruto's cue to go. It was Kiba's turn to lock up, so he followed them to the back rooms. No one was bothered by his presence; the other dancers knew he only had eyes for Nightshade, and he had never been anything but respectful toward each and every one of them. In fact, he'd saved several of their asses on more than one occasion. If anything, they all probably felt safer with him around. Nobody ever tried to kick him out, at least.

Nightshade always took the back left corner, so that's where Naruto went. They were wiping makeup off their face; they'd been too far away for Naruto to even notice they were wearing it earlier. They couldn't get it all off, streaks of glittery black still under their eyes, but it would surely come off in the shower when they got home. They greeted Naruto with a little hum as he appeared in the mirror over their shoulder.

"Good night tonight?" he asked. Nightshade shrugged, running a brush through their hair.

"Decent for a slow one." A few resentful looks were sent their way. Nightshade was the only one who'd been busy all night, breaks few and far between. Even on their slowest nights, Nightshade made a killing. Naruto understood why it sometimes drew the ire of the others, but he also understood that Nightshade wasn't in this for the money. They genuinely enjoyed their work. The hated having any downtime at all. They thrived on busy nights. They thrived on constant performance. Naruto knew all about stamina, but there was nothing quite like Nightshade on a good night. Their favorite nights were the nights their legs felt too jelly-like to go home in heels, the nights where they were so tired they couldn't even stand up on their own to shower, the nights where they were so exhausted they passed out the moment their head hit the pillow. Nightshade wanted to work, wanted to give their all. Anything less than that simply wasn't enough. It was just the way of things.

"You'll pick up more on Friday," Naruto assured quietly, careful not to attract more negative attention. Nightshade simply hummed again, exchanging their ear-cuffs with dangly chains for their usual plain black studs. 

They somehow wiggled into a pair of sweats without having to take off their heels- a feat Naruto still could not comprehend- and tossed a heavy black jacket over the corset. Nightshade always came to work dressed beneath regular clothes so they wouldn't have to fully change, so they could keep up the intrigue. And, Naruto knew, maintain their privacy. Nightshade was a professional through and through: none of their colleagues knew their legal name, none of them knew what was in their pants, and none of them knew much of anything about them aside from the fact that when they went home, they went with Naruto. He led them out with a palm between their shoulder blades, their heels clacking along the tile floors leading to the back door. 

The air was cool, but reeking of cigarettes and weed. They ignored it easily- they grew up in apartments that stank of the same or much worse, after all- and Naruto located the car with a press of a button on his keys. Nightshade navigated gravel and crumbling asphalt as if they'd lived their entire life in heels this high. They never once hung their head or averted their gaze. They always walked as if they were in the middle of an extremely important task, focus unwavering, eyes sharp and alert. Naruto loved their intensity. He loved the way they glowed cold under street lamps. He loved the set of their shoulders and the angle of their jaw. He loved them so much.

The pair spent the ride home in companionable silence. Nightshade needed time to slip out of their persona, process the shift, decompress. Naruto could respect that. It had taken a long time for him to learn to be quiet for a while, but now that he could, he found it rather relaxing. Being the one in the driver's seat helped. Except when it began to rain and suddenly other people forgot how to drive. He honked his horn loudly as someone cut him off in a big black truck.

"Fucking jackass! I got precious cargo in here!" Nightshade smirked. Naruto fumed, turning to yell at them when he realized what he'd said. Instead he ended up laughing. "Well, it's true." They snickered, and Naruto could see the persona slipping away, revealing the real person underneath. _Sasuke_.

"I'd hardly consider myself precious cargo. More like damaged goods, really."

"Damaged, are you nuts? Like, seriously, have you seen yourself in a mirror literally ever?"

Sasuke shifted in his seat, propping his foot up on the inside of the car door with a little snort in lieu of a real answer. The rest of the ride was as quiet as it had begun, and just as comfortable. Sasuke seemed a little more relaxed, if not a bit tired. Naruto stole glances at his foot in the door a red lights, admiring the curve of his calf in heels, fantasizing about what they could do in the privacy of their own home.

Naruto knew when they got into the apartment that Sasuke would want to head straight for the shower. He was already stepping out of his sweatpants, and about to bend down and unstrap his heels. Naruto stopped him with a firm grasp on his elbow. His eyes were hungry, and Sasuke knew exactly what that look meant. He smirked, tilting Naruto's chin up and slowly closing in for a kiss. Naruto purred, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's waist. His fingers traced the boning of the corset, loving the feeling of lace against his skin, and one hand quickly found its way to Sasuke's ass. He nibbled Naruto's lip as he pulled away.

"How do you wanna do this?" he asked, his breath fluttering hot against Naruto's ear as he ran his teeth along the edge of his lobe.

"Fuck, S-Sasuke... Wanna be inside you..." He smirked.

"Well? What are we waiting for?"

In an instant they were in the bedroom, lips locked together. Sasuke's hands pushed up beneath Naruto's shirt. He broke the kiss to toss it over his head. Sasuke purred, hands roving appreciatively over Naruto's pecs. He couldn't help himself; Naruto kissed the corner of his mouth, down his jaw, his throat, pulling a light moan from somewhere deep in Sasuke's chest.

"So beautiful," he breathed, raking his hands through Sasuke's hair, his back, over his ass. Sasuke smirked, leaning down to return Naruto's affections with kisses all over his face and love-bites along his neck.

"Bed?"

Naruto nodded, letting Sasuke lead him toward the bed through their kisses. The backs of Naruto's knees hit the edge of the mattress, and he sank down on it, gazing up at Sasuke with unconcealed adoration. 

"You're dressed to kill," he noted. Sasuke snorted.

"You say that every time."

"Do I? Must be true, then."

Sasuke shook his head, feigning an annoyance his fond smirk betrayed, settling into Naruto's lap as if it were made to seat him. They kissed deeply, tongues brushing. Naruto ran his hands up the length of Sasuke's thighs, calloused fingers catching softly on sheer black thigh-high socks. His thumb traced a line beneath the hem of skimpy booty shorts, leathery on the outside but soft fabric inside. They parted to breathe, foreheads pressed together. Naruto's eyes asked permission before his mouth could. Sasuke nodded to the unspoken question. A feral smirk bloomed on Naruto's lips.

He swung Sasuke around and pinned him down on the bed. He tasted every inch of his neck and shoulders, careful not to leave marks. Sasuke panted softly beneath him, clearly worked up but trying to hide it, and Naruto couldn't suppress a smirk. _I'll have him begging for me soon..._ He felt his way down Sasuke's corseted torso, over the shorts, down strong legs, and finally, _finally_ , to the heels he loved so much. He picked up Sasuke's left foot first, cradling the back of his ankle in one hand and tracing the straps criss-crossing the top of his foot with the other.

"So gorgeous for me..." He drew his tongue over the straps, holding Sasuke's foot still by the sharp column of the stiletto. Naruto knew he was making obscene noises, but he didn't care. He loved these fucking shoes, he loved them on Sasuke, he loved _Sasuke_. 

He mouthed a path all the way up Sasuke's leg, stopping just shy of his crotch. He nosed the fabric at his hip teasingly, switching to crawl down his other leg. Sasuke's fingers dug into the mattress, trying to suppress the fact that he was shaking with anticipation. Naruto gazed at him from beneath his eyelashes, taking the right foot and licking the straps of that shoe, too. The feeling of warm leather on his tongue, the way the stiletto cut just a little into his palm with his hard grip, the knowledge that if Sasuke wanted he could kick the ever-loving shit out of him with those heels... It was too much. _I can hold back anymore...!_

"Sasuke," he called huskily. Obsidian eyes turned downward, fixed intensely on Naruto's face through the veneer of lust. "I want you."  
"I'm yours to take."

His response was instant. No hesitation, no doubt. Nothing but trust. 

Naruto pulled Sasuke into his arms as he stood. Sasuke's hands were needy in his hair, his demand loud without words as their lips met with bruising force: _fuck me._ Naruto worked his fingers through the laces in the back of Sasuke's corset, the knots coming loose and freeing Sasuke's torso. Bare skin, hot to the touch, soft with hours of sweat. Naruto didn't mind, laying Sasuke back on the bed to pull down his shorts. Sasuke helped him maneuver them around the heels, keeping them on as the shorts drifted to the floor. When Sasuke had gotten a bottle of lube, Naruto had no idea, but he poured it over his own fingers with a smolder in his eyes. Naruto groaned as he watched Sasuke's slick fingers work himself open, his face flushing a shade of red so deep Naruto would have worried if he didn't know better. He kissed his way around Sasuke's foot, his cock growing so hard it ached. 

"Alright, enough of that," Naruto said, finally grabbing Sasuke's wrist. He raised a brow, but rubbed the slick over Naruto's cock without hesitation, making full eye-contact. Naruto shuddered.

Sasuke was ready for him. He slid in easily, earning a loud moan from Sasuke as he bottomed out.

"F-fuck... Naruto...!" Sasuke hooked his ankles behind Naruto's back. The stilettos scraped across his lower back, pulling a loud moan out of him. He leaned forward, latching onto Sasuke's throat in an effort to quiet himself as he started thrusting in and out. His body was warmer than warm, a pulsing tunnel of heat. Naruto couldn't get enough, wanted to taste and touch and fuck, but he was too impatient. Sasuke couldn't last that long, either. His breaths were labored. His blush had crept all the way down his neck and bloomed across his chest. His hands curled into fists near his head, tossing it to the side as he moaned again, his hair splayed out over the sheets. It spurred Naruto on, making him thrust faster. "Naruto...!" He released Sasuke's throat and pushed forward, folding him nearly in half, and the stilettos ended up beside Naruto's ears. He rubbed his face against the side of Sasuke's foot, gazing upon the dark bruise he created. _Oh well. That's what makeup's for..._ Sasuke's nails dug hard into the mattress, his head craned back as he moaned. "Naruto... _Naruto_...!"

"Sasuke...!"

Naruto's vision swam, pleasure coiling hot and tight inside him. Sasuke's body clenched, and he didn't moan so much as gasp. The noise sent Naruto spiraling into ecstasy, spilling himself deep inside him. He didn't consciously bring his hands back to Sasuke's feet, but he found himself gripping Sasuke's ankles, his thumbs hooked under the straps. He gave each ankle one last, sloppy kiss before he pulled out. Sasuke groaned as he stretched his legs behind him, rolled his hips forward, arched his back. Naruto cringed at the way his joints cracked in quick succession.

"Why the fuck do you sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies?" Sasuke snorted to cover a laugh.

"I just worked a pole for six hours and got bent in half, bitch. I'll snap, crackle, pop as much as I want."

Naruto chuckled, settling on the bed beside Sasuke. He brushed his fingertips over the bruise on his throat.

"I'm gonna get you back for that." Naruto grinned wickedly.

"Promise?"

He laughed as Sasuke swatted at his head, clearly too tired to do much more than that. He shivered a little.

"Cold?" Naruto asked.  
"Leaking."  
"Ah. Shower?" Sasuke eyed him suspiciously.

"No funny business." Naruto made a cross over his heart.

"No funny business," he agreed. Sasuke smiled, rolling onto his side just long enough to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Love you, moron."  
"Love you, bastard."


	2. Polka Dots

The Lime's current management was fond of themed nights. At least once every two weeks, sometimes more, the club would become a different place, with new decor and everyone in costumes. Tonight was Retro Night. Many of the dancers walked around in sailor suits and rockabilly dresses, hair in pin-up curls and shoulders adorned with tied sweaters. Nightshade, as usual, had donned a strange blend of fashions. Their hair was done up like a greaser, slicked back with gel, along with a black leather jacket and wife-beater, all vintage machismo. Their lower half, though, was clad in a mini skirt and polka dot heels, exuding a peppy feminine appeal. Naruto stared at the shoes from a distance, fascinated by the contrast of black and white on top and the vivid red soles on the bottom.

It was a busy night. Nightshade was definitely getting tired, but they didn't show it in a way anyone but Naruto would notice. He watched them restart their routine for a new table- probably the last of the night, considering it was a large group and a few would probably want lap dances. Naruto was only half-paying attention to the customers that drifted in, most already drunk. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Nightshade's jacket go flying behind them onto the stage. The small crowd they'd attracted roared, wolf-whistles piercing the air. Naruto smirked as he marked an X on yet another underaged hand. _They're having a great night. Just look at all the bills they're chuckin' at 'em..._ Naruto was proud of Nightshade not just as a performer, but also as his partner. They were good at their job and watching them do it was a delight. It never got old. The money didn't hurt either, of course. They'd grown up accustomed to scarcity, clawing their way through daily life. Their wages now kept them comfortable, something Naruto still wasn't entirely used to, and the idea of disposable income sometimes made his head spin. Watching the dollars flutter around them made Naruto's heart pound in a weird way. _I bet we could go on a nice date with all that tip money. We haven't been out in a while. Is it my turn to pick? I think it is..._

Naruto was daydreaming about a trip to the mall and holding hands under the table at Ichiraku's when Hinata approached.

"Naruto?" she called. He smiled at her, straightening up a bit.

"Hinata! You heading home?"  
"Yes. I was w-wondering if-"  
"I can walk you to the car? Of course!" She blushed something fierce, smiling behind her hands. 

"Thank you, Naruto." 

"Oh, no problem at all! Tenten!" She perked up from a few tables down, holding a rough-houser by the scruff of his neck. "Can you watch the front?"

"Only if you dump this one out the side."

"Deal!"

She shoved the hooligan at him, and Naruto recognized him as a regular. He caught the guy with one arm and linked his other arm with Hinata's.

"Alright buddy, out we go. You know the rules."  
"But Naruto-"  
"No buts, Gennai. You know the rules," he repeated. "You keep getting rough with our dancers and you're gonna get banned. We'd hate to do that, but what choice will we have?"

"You're right, you're right," he slurred, finally managing to get his feet under him well enough to stumble alongside him. Naruto opened the side door and unceremoniously tossed him out. 

"Go home and get a good rest, bud. And maybe don't drink so much next time, huh?"  
"Y'got it, boss. See ya next week."

Naruto shut the door and continued toward the back with Hinata. He led her through the same door he led Nightshade every night, escorting her through the dark parking lot. Naruto realized quickly why she was particularly frightened of going alone today; her car was parked under a broken light, and only a few rows down, a bunch of people were sitting in the back of a van and on the hood of a pickup truck talking and drinking raucously. Naruto tutted, shaking his head at the sight. 

"Those morons again..." Hinata tucked her hair behind her ear.

"They were making me n-nervous," she admitted. "I wasn't sure if they're allowed to be there."  
"They're not. Thanks for letting me know. I'll deal with it." Naruto leaned against her car as she got in, watching the partiers closely. It was only once the engine started and her lights turned on that Naruto pushed off of it, patting the top. "Get home safe, Hina. You'll text me?"  
"Of course. Thank you again, Naruto."

"Anytime, sweetheart. Good night!"

"Good night."

Naruto listened to her pull away as he walked up to the tailgaters. They seemed young, perhaps not even legal drinking age. _I'll only call the cops if I have to, though. I hate getting kids in trouble..._

"Hey!" he barked in his most authoritative tone. Several of them froze. "Either go inside and party there, or find someplace else. Our parking lot ain't it."  
"And what'll you do about it? You're not a cop," one sneered, despite the warnings of a girl holding onto his arm. Naruto pinned them with a glare.

"The precinct is down the street, and I happen to be well acquainted with them. They'd be here before you even put on your seatbelt." He raked his gaze over the lot of them. "I don't care where ya go, but it can't be here. Get inside or get lost. Got it?"  
"... Yessir."

In a frenzy of movement, they packed up the vehicles and shoved the sober ones into the drivers' seats. Naruto nodded approvingly, only moving far enough out of the way that they couldn't accidentally hit him. He didn't head back toward the building until their headlights turned onto the street behind the lot. He nodded to himself, satisfied. _Only a little while longer. All in all, it's been a pretty quiet night. No major fights, no issues at the door, no dancers harmed..._ He resumed his post at the door, fist-bumping Tenten as she went back to her usual spot near the bar. He knew Kiba was stationed downstairs, making sure the dance floor didn't get too chaotic. The second floor bar was definitely crazier than the third, and Naruto didn't envy him at all for having to be down there today. _At least he gets to see his girl,_ he thought teasingly. A train of thought was meant to follow that, but it was derailed at the sight of Nightshade descending the steps from the stage. They were beckoned to a guest of honor- Naruto guessed a bride-to-be by the sash- and Naruto couldn't help but ogle them as they stepped up onto the arms of their patron's chair. The crowd wooed and whistled again as they began to dance, balanced dangerously on the chair, risking themself and their patron. They didn't seem worried at all about falling. Naruto was always awed by their cat-like balance, their grace. _So beautiful. Always so fucking sexy..._

He distractedly turned away new guests, saying the club would be closed soon. They disappointedly went back out. Naruto flicked on the speaker beside him and made the announcement to the whole floor.

"Last call fifteen minutes. Finish your drinks and arrange your rides home." Nightshade managed to turn their head long enough to raise a brow at Naruto across the room, descending from the perilous edges of the chair to dance in front of their patron instead. Naruto watched dollar bills slide into the waistband of their skirt, into the tight collar of their tank-top. Naruto swallowed. _Can't wait to get my hands under that skirt and my mouth around those heels. I know they think it's gross, but I wanna so bad..._

Nightshade was with a different customer now, from the same group. They were working their magic with their hips, the skirt fluttering just shy of revealing their underwear, teasing. The customer was trying to hide how hot and bothered he was, blushing behind his hand. Naruto smirked. _They could break down just about anybody's composure..._ Nightshade finished their lap routine, climbing the steps up to the stage for one last pole dance at the group's request. Naruto leaned against the wall and admired from afar, staring shamelessly at his partner as they swung around the pole, all long legs and lean muscles. _Can't wait to have you home..._

It took an extra twenty minutes after closing to clear out the patrons on the floor, plus another fifteen or so to escort the dancers out and lock up. The party was still raging on the floor below, and would be for a while. Again, Naruto didn't envy Kiba. He got to come in later than Naruto and Tenten today, but at the cost of staying until four or five in the morning to get everyone out and lock up. _I much prefer going home with Nightshade_ , he thought as he slid into the driver's seat. Naruto kept his hand on the gearshift, and Nightshade placed theirs softly on top. Naruto smiled with a wink. They blew him a kiss that made him feel giddy. They shifted out of work mode and back to their normal self. Sasuke, looking tired but satisfied. _I can make you feel another kind of satisfied..._

He watched Sasuke wander into the kitchen once they got home, bending at the waist to peer into the fridge. The skirt just barely covered his ass like this. _He's totally doing that on purpose..._ He emerged with two cans in his hand- a seltzer for him, and a beer he offered to Naruto. Naruto took it gratefully, popping the top and leaning against the table as Sasuke went back in for something to eat. He grunted, shutting the fridge and searching through the cabinets instead. His heels clacked along the tiles. _I could fuck him right against the counters. Or bend him over the table. Or have him ride my lap in a chair. Actually, maybe not, these things aren't the sturdiest. I gotta tighten a few of these..._

Naruto recognized that Sasuke said words, but didn't hear what he said. 

"Huh?"  
"I said whattya want in your ramen?" _God he's so fuckin' perfect. Works a pole, rocks a pair of heels, makes me ramen-_ Naruto blinked at Sasuke's fingers snapping in his face. "Wake up, usuratonkachi!"  
"I'm awake, bastard!"

"Then answer me or all you're getting is a bowl of hot water!"

"Fine! Egg! I want an egg!"  
"Finally!"

Naruto was torn between irritation and attraction as Sasuke bent in front of the fridge again and dug out the container of hardboiled eggs.   
"Scallions?" came his muffled voice from inside.

"Sure. We got any meat?"

"Hm..." Sasuke's underwear was starting to peek out from under his skirt. Naruto swallowed, looking away, returning to his beer. Attraction was _definitely_ winning out over irritation. _He'll kill me if I come onto him before we eat. He gets grumpy when he's hungry..._ Sasuke re-emerged with a container of leftover chicken. "Toss this in it?"

"Yeah that works."   
  


Sasuke nodded, tying an apron over his clothes as he set a pot of water to boil. Naruto watched, a little slack-jawed, as Sasuke raised himself on tip-toes to reach a new bottle of vinegar on the top shelf of the cabinet. _Over six feet tall in heels and still can't reach..._ Naruto might have made fun of Sasuke for being short- even though Naruto himself was about an inch shorter than Sasuke's actual height- but today he didn't feel like teasing. He was just appreciating the sight of him. He looked like a sexy housewife in that retro skirt and apron, and those polka dot heels were driving Naruto crazy. He knew Sasuke had picked up on it, that's the only reason he'd still be wearing them in the house, but Naruto couldn't help himself from commenting anyway.   
"Really got into the role today, huh?" Sasuke snorted, stirring in the spices.   
"I'm just too hungry to change."

"So you're not being domestic in your retro gear for any particular reason?" Naruto knew without being able to see his face that Sasuke was smirking, maybe rolling his eyes, too.   
"Don't flatter yourself, idiot. This isn't for you." Naruto purred, wrapping his arms around Sasuke from behind.   
"Well that just makes me want it more."   
  


Sasuke definitely rolled his eyes this time, but leaned back against Naruto nonetheless.   
"You can have whatever you want after we eat."

"Whatever I want?" Sasuke pinched his cheek.   
"Don't get saucy." Naruto laughed, letting him go so he could move around better. Naruto took up his usual post chopping the scallions and slicing the eggs as Sasuke added the vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce to the pot.   
"Nah, that's your job Sauce-kay."

Sasuke groaned at the terrible pun, focusing on the contents of the pot so he wouldn't inadvertently encourage Naruto to keep going. He could roll for a while on a good pun train if Sasuke didn't swiftly kill it before it began. Naruto snickered a bit, choosing to set the jokes aside in favor of peacefully cooking side by side. Sasuke plopped the leftover chicken and ramen blocks in. Naruto scooped up the chopped scallions and tossed those in shortly thereafter. The eggs would have to wait until they'd scooped their portions into bowls. Naruto did Sasuke the favor of getting out said bowls, along with chopsticks and spoons for each of them. He said _thank you_ with a tilt of his chin. Naruto said _you're welcome_ with a grin.   
  


Soon the ramen was ready and dropping into their bowls, portions exactly equal, and Naruto watched as Sasuke laid the eggs on top with care.   
"Too bad we don't have narutomaki," Naruto said, predictably. Sasuke snorted as he walked the bowls over, setting one down in front of Naruto and carrying his own to the seat across from him.

"We'd buy it if I could find it."

"You couldn't learn to make it?"

"You couldn't?"  
"Touché."

For a while they just ate in amiable silence, sending each other winks and smirks around their noodles. Sasuke always made great ramen. Way better and fancier than Naruto's go-to method of dumping the flavor packet in a bowl of water and noodles and nuking it in the microwave. Naruto ate quickly, and Sasuke took that as a compliment, a half-smile half-hidden beneath his hair. Naruto sat back with a sigh when he was finished, much too soon.

"Satisfied?" Sasuke asked as he slurped more of his own noodles. Naruto licked his lips. One hunger was satisfied, but another flared to life in its place even stronger than ever.

"Well... I guess," he answered at last. Sasuke paused, glaring up at him, ready to be pissed.

"You guess?" he repeated in a near-hiss that Naruto knew meant _tread carefully_. 

"Oh, you meant the meal? Yeah, absolutely. Super good." Sasuke relaxed a little, nodding and returning momentarily to his own noodles. "But there's something else I want."

Sasuke's eyes flashed.

Next thing he knew, Naruto was pushed against the wall, Sasuke's lips locked with his. He moaned into the kiss, Sasuke's tongue heavy in his mouth, making his knees feel weak. They pulled apart with a wet smack, hands roving. Naruto's shirt was launched into the stratosphere. He reached up Sasuke's skirt, rubbing his thumb against the front of his underwear. He moaned loudly, grinding into Naruto's hand.

"You're excited already, aren't you, Sasuke?" Naruto didn't miss the shiver that passed through his body, or the way his breath puffed hot on Naruto's skin before he bit down hard on his collarbone. Naruto groaned- that bite fucking _hurt_ \- but gave a sigh of relief as Sasuke soothed the wound with his tongue.

"Told you I'd get you back."

"Fair enough."

Naruto swung Sasuke around and slammed him against the table, ass-up, feeling the taut muscle of his thigh.

"What the fuck?!"

"You said I could have whatever I wanted after we ate," Naruto purred, nipping Sasuke's earlobe. "And what I want is to fuck you."

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

Naruto scanned the room quickly, his vision zeroing in on the sesame oil left out on the counter. He grabbed it and set it down on the table, within Sasuke's peripheral vision. 

"Oh what, you want me to taste like ramen, too?" he scoffed. Naruto chuckled as he pulled down Sasuke's underwear, letting them fall to his ankles.

"Now there's an idea..."

Sasuke cursed as Naruto's slicked finger entered him from behind, the same thumb he'd just used to rub his crotch. He knelt down as Sasuke kicked off the underwear, pressing his thumb in further and hooking it to keep Sasuke open as he placed his mouth over his hole. Sasuke moaned. Naruto dipped his tongue inside him, tasting of musk and sesame, then back out, swirling around his rim before dipping back in. Sasuke's nails gauged audibly into the table, his breath hitching. Naruto reached for his crotch with his other hand, teasing, asking for permission.

"Just do it!" he snapped, hips twitching as he sought more contact. Naruto gave his own moan as those fingers slid easily inside Sasuke's other hole. It wasn't often Sasuke let Naruto explore that part of him, but when he did, he did it well. He focused on his right hand at the front, his left hand merely cupping Sasuke's ass now. Fingered from the front, eaten out from the back. It had Sasuke's chest heaving in no time, sweat rolling down his skin, their kitchen filled with panting and moaning. Naruto pressed his fingers and tongue in deeper, stroking a spot along Sasuke's walls that had him keening. "Naruto!" He kept rubbing that spot with his fingers while his tongue worked between his cheeks, everything wet and warm and quivering with desire. "Naruto!" he said again, this time a warning. Naruto raised his head just long enough to snatch a breath of fresh air.

"Come, Sasuke."

He did, instantaneously. Naruto's hand became wetter. Sasuke had placed all of his weight on the table by now; it creaked as Naruto stood, still working him through his orgasm.

"Fuck..." Naruto leaned down on top of him, his chest flush to Sasuke's back.

"At your limit already?" Sasuke huffed in annoyance, trying to lift himself off the table with arms like jelly. He settled for a glare over his shoulder.

"I'm just warming up." Naruto hiked up Sasuke's hips, the skirt flipping up and brushing his back instead of his thighs. Naruto couldn't help but bite his lip at the sight, spreading oil over himself now.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say."

Naruto's cock pressed slowly into Sasuke from behind, stealing his breath. Naruto took his sweet time, savoring the sensation of Sasuke's hole clenching around him. By the time he was fully sheathed inside him, Sasuke was shaking with anticipation.

"Hold onto the edge," Naruto instructed. Sasuke obeyed mindlessly, reaching for the furthest edge of the table and, to Naruto's surprise, bringing one leg up with him. Naruto admired the brilliant red coloring the sole of Sasuke's shoe. _Almost as pretty as the red his face gets..._ Sasuke was beyond blushing. His cheeks were ruddy, his ears nearly glowed, and even the back of his neck was cycling through shades of pink on its way to red. Naruto loved the way it contrasted with dark hair and pale skin. "So beautiful..." he muttered, slowly pulling out almost all the way before slamming back in. Sasuke's back snapped into an arch, a wanton moan searing the air, and Naruto lost himself in the feeling of Sasuke's body. He thrusted hard and fast. Sasuke's ass slapped against Naruto's legs. Naruto's fingers dug into his hips and Sasuke's fingers dug into the edge of the table. He rolled his hips to meet Naruto's, matching his desire. Words spilled from their mouths, but neither really knew what they were saying, just endless litanies of "yes" and "harder" and every swear word in the book. Naruto panted heavily as he reached between Sasuke's legs, not pushing into the front this time but playing a little further up. Sasuke cried out, eyes squeezed shut. 

"Yes, Naruto, yes, yes-!" He moaned wordlessly as Naruto rubbed the part Sasuke affectionately referred to as "that stupid thing". Stupid as it may be, it definitely did the job of making him feel good. He squirmed beneath Naruto, shuddering, keening as he veered into overstimulation. _Sasuke... So good...!_ "Naruto, I-!"

He was cut off by Naruto's own loud moan as he came, burying himself deep inside Sasuke. His vision pulsed to the same beat as his cock, and he choked as Sasuke tightened around him, wringing out a second wave of pleasure. He collapsed blindly on top of him, his own heartbeat nearly drowning out Sasuke's lingering moans as he rode out the rest of his climax.

Naruto wasn't sure how long they laid on the table, but when he finally slid out of Sasuke he felt boneless and tired in a good way. Sasuke attempted to get up, too, but his ankles wobbled and he melted straight to the floor. Naruto just barely managed to catch him, hardly able to hold him up.

"You good?"

"Fuckin' shoes..." Sasuke tore at the straps and tossed them away, pushing himself up with one hand on Naruto's shoulder and the other on the table. Together, they tottered to the bathroom and removed what was left of their clothes. The shower was warm and their hands were gentle on each other's skin as they washed one another. Naruto watched, mesmerized, as Sasuke scrubbed the gel out of his hair, water and shampoo cascading down his back. Naruto wrapped his arms around him from behind, leaving a kiss in the juncture between Sasuke's neck and shoulder. Sasuke leaned back against him with a sigh.

"You're beautiful," he praised. He could feel more than see Sasuke's smile.

"You're not too bad yourself."  
"You're an amazing lay."  
"You're incredible."

"I fucking love you so goddamn much."

"I love you too, stupid. Now let me go so we can go to bed."

Naruto smiled, turning Sasuke around so they could share a deep kiss under the spray. Sasuke trailed after him when they parted, eyes closed.

"Gimme a few more," he breathed. And so they kissed, over and over and over, until the water started getting cold and they had no choice but to get out and dry off. They simply resumed the kissing in bed, naked, tangled up in each other and the sheets. Naruto felt warm from the inside out. Warm and happy. 

"I love you," Naruto said again.

"I love you, too."

They fell asleep with their foreheads pressed together and fingers intertwined.


	3. Barbie Pink

Sasuke presented himself very different in his daily life compared to on the stage. He wore masculinity as easy as his skin. It was his default setting, always had been. The same lean muscles that kept him steady on the pole rippled beneath cuffed sleeves, the same sharp collarbones that framed corsets and tanks peeked out seductively from under an unbuttoned collar, and the same ears that wore sparkly, dangly earrings by night looked just as biteable with plain black studs during the day. He was only comfortable with femininity as a costume, a persona he could take on and off at will. If someone called him "she" on the street, he'd deck them in the mouth without hesitation, whereas on the stage he wouldn't bat an eye. Not that that would ever happen; Sasuke could walk this city virtually unrecognized despite the fact that he danced at one of the most popular clubs in the whole region. He'd almost been recognized in public a few times, but no one was ever able to place him back into context fast enough. Anonymity despite his local fame. The duality of Sasuke amazed Naruto. It was incredible, and confusing, and alluring.

Just another thing Naruto loved about him.

Right now, Sasuke was in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, kneeling on the floor over his big bin of work clothes, deliberating. Naruto was perched on the bed, cross-legged, peering down passively into it with him.

"Blue?" he suggested, probably unhelpfully.

"I just wore that last week."   
"Hmm... what about this one?" he asked, dipping down and picking up a black lacy thing.

"That one's ripped," he said, plucking it from Naruto's fingers and showing him. Sure enough, there was a tear in the backside. Naruto snickered.

"Your fat ass bust through it?" Sasuke snorted, tossing it aside into a basket of sewing supplies for later.

"Snagged on the doorknob in the bathroom."

"Again? That's it, I'm changing it."

  
Sasuke shrugged. He couldn't give less of a shit what Naruto did to their place, as long as it wasn't ugly or dirty. Naruto wrote a reminder in his phone to go to the hardware store on his next day off, adding the new doorknob to the growing list of other things they needed. _Next paycheck's gonna disappear mad fast..._ So it goes.

Naruto's eye was caught by a particularly garish color.

"Wait, what's that one?"

"Which one?" Naruto leaned over and pulled it from a tangle of other clothes. It was a hot pink body harness.

"Where'd you get this? I've never seen it before."   
"Oh, that. It was a gift." Naruto raised a brow. "Karin."

"Ah."

Karin gave Sasuke all her hand-me-downs when she left her job as a dancer at The Lime to pursue a career in security at some fancy office building downtown. He used a lot of them- Naruto still didn't understand how they were the same size, they were two _totally_ different builds, but whatever- but never once had he touched this one.

"Why haven't you worn this before?"

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there are two colors I never ever wear. Pink is one of them." Naruto pursed his lips.

"It would look so cute on you, though." Sasuke shrugged, rubbing absently at the scars on his chest.

"I don't have anything to go with it. The best I could do is layer it over a black outfit." Naruto drummed his fingers against his thigh. _Maybe I'm just thinking with my dick, but it seems like such a waste to not wear it just 'cause he doesn't have anything to match. We could fix that pretty easily..._

"Did you save money for it?"

"Yeah. Just didn't get around to shopping." Naruto nodded with a note of finality.   
"Alright, it's settled then. We're going out."   
  


Sasuke's head snapped up, brow raised.

"Settled?"

"I wanna see you in that harness. You have the money and we've both got the time, so let's do it!" Sasuke stretched, joints popping. 

"Alright, but I'm taking a nap before work."

"You and your naps."

"Don't start, Uzumaki," he warned. Naruto rolled his eyes with a grin.   
"I won't, I won't."

Sasuke drove this time. For a while they listened to the radio in silence, pretending the afternoon traffic wasn't making them just a bit irate.  
"So what exactly are you looking for to go with this?" Naruto asked, pulling the harness out of his pocket.   
"Put that away, usuratonkachi!" he cried, swatting at him. Naruto rolled his eyes, but folded it up and pocketed it all the same. _Always so prudish when he's off-duty..._ Naruto realized he'd left a drink in the car, and started sucking on the straw, heedless of the fact that the ice had melted and it was merely more than diluted sugar at this point. "Anyway, I was thinking shoes."

Naruto choked. _How can he say the best answer so casually?!  
_"Get a hold of yourself, dobe. It's just a pair of shoes." Naruto glowered, coughing into his sleeve. Sasuke's smirk just made him glower harder. "You and your shoe fetish."

"Oh shut it, Uchiha!" Sasuke chuckled as he pulled into a metered spot on the street. He opened the center console and dug out some change.

"Keep your mind outta the gutter while we're in here, will you?" he said, flashing Naruto a smirk and a wink.

"You bastard!" 

Sasuke hopped out of the car before Naruto could punch him in the arm. He grumbled, waiting until a parade of cars passed before he opened his door and followed Sasuke out onto the sidewalk. He was already placing their meter ticket on the dashboard of their car when Naruto stepped onto the concrete. They walked together with their hands stuffed into their pockets, Naruto holding the door for Sasuke.

The place smelled like any other shoe store, leather and rubber and the scent of Orange Glo on the floors. The biggest difference was the fact that mannequins in lingerie were scattered everywhere. A man with wild silver hair sat behind the counter, eyes crinkling with a smile as he recognized them.   
"Well, well, well. My favorite customers return! I was starting to think you two didn't love me anymore."

"Tch. Dramatic," Sasuke sniped. Naruto jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow.   
"Of course we still love you, Kakashi! You could stand to come down to the club once in a while if you missed us that much, though." Kakashi flipped a dismissive wrist.   
"I'm a married old man. What business do I have hanging around a club with all you single youngins?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, walking away so Naruto couldn't get another jab in.   
"We get couples in all the time!" Naruto said, sauntering up to the counter and leaning against it. He elected to ignore the fact that Kakashi was reading a clearly not-safe-for-work book right in front of him. "And as for old... Well, you're hardly old, Kakashi! You're barely forty!" Naruto had known him long enough to know when he was wrinkling his nose under his mask. 

"Forty is old enough."

"Nah! Sasuke, didn't you just dance for an old lady on her one-hundredth birthday? She came in with her great-grandkids- GREAT-GRANDKIDS, KAKASHI!- and got a lapdance. Can you imagine that?"

Kakashi was the one person on earth aside from Naruto who knew about Sasuke's double life. This was the one place they could talk about it freely.   
"Was it gross?" Kakashi asked.   
"I don't speak ill of my patrons," Sasuke said placidly, which they both knew meant _yeah but they paid well_. Naruto and Kakashi shared a chuckle at Sasuke's expense. He didn't seem to notice; he was busy scrutinizing a pair of lacy knee-high boots. Kakashi stretched with a deep groan.   
"I guess I oughta get up and do my job, huh?" He winked at Naruto as he got up from his stool, stuffing his hands in his pockets and weaving between the aisles to reach Sasuke, who was currently on the run with his vision zeroed in on a different pair of boots. Naruto trailed leisurely after them. "Eleven-and-a-half women's, Sasuke?"   
  


He nodded.   
"Looking for anything in particular today?"

"Pink," Sasuke answered distractedly. Kakashi turned to Naruto for further guidance; he produced the harness from his pocket.   
"Something to match this," he clarified, handing it off to Kakashi. The man nodded.   
"I've got a few things. That ain't it, though, Sasuke. Doesn't come in pink."

"Hn."

"You seem drawn to boots. You clearly have a look in mind."

"Hn," he mumbled again, touching the toe of a snakeskin boot as they passed. He sneered at the texture; clearly just a faux print. _That's right, he's always liked snakeskin. The real stuff is crazy expensive, though. Maybe someday, if one of us gets rich and famous, I'll be able to get him a pair of snakeskin boots. Maybe even a cute little mini-skirt to match...._

Naruto started at a sharp pain in his ribs. Sasuke's elbow, connecting to an arm that inevitably led to a disgruntled expression.

"Quit daydreaming in public, dobe," he hissed under his breath. Naruto pouted.

"Kakashi is hardly 'the public', bastard."

"Shut up or I'll shove this ratty old sneaker right up your-"

"Alright, so I think what this'll come down to is texture," Kakashi interrupted. A bit too loudly. They both winced, blushing a bit. Kakashi knew Sasuke needed a decent number of shoes for work, but they didn't necessarily need him to know what they did with them off-duty. _Though being the perv he is, he definitely already figured it out..._ "If you want it all to match, then this pair is probably the closest you'll get in both color and texture." The display was black. Sleek, shiny latex. One of Naruto's favorite looks on Sasuke, personally, but this was his purchase, so Naruto kept his mouth shut. He did have to physically look away as Kakashi opened a box containing the pink version, though. Something about the color and texture combined made him immediately salivate. Sasuke's nose wrinkled just slightly.

"Anything less harsh?"  
"In color or luster?"  
"Luster. This is..." He blinked as if just looking at it were making him see stars. "Too much," he finished at last. Kakashi nodded.

"Well, I'll be honest with you, Sasuke, if you take something with the exact same luster as the harness, it'll just look like a rain boot. So what we need to do is change up the textures..."

Kakashi thought for a moment, then bee-lined for a pair of boots on the other end of the aisle. Naruto and Sasuke followed like lost puppies.

"These, I think, are gonna be right up your alley. This velvet number comes in the correct color, but isn't nearly as harsh on the eyes with regard to the luster." He showed Sasuke a velvet boot, about knee-high, standing on the display. It was a simple brown color that otherwise wouldn't have interested either of them in the slightest. Sasuke felt it as Kakashi crouched to search for a pink pair.

"How durable are these?" he asked.

"Oh, velvet holds up great. Just don't expose it to extreme heat, like cigarette butts. This is a rayon velvet, so water beads right off. You could wear it in the rain with no real problem. It does tend to get linty, though, so you might need to brush them once in a while." Sasuke nodded, continuing to feel the boot on the display. _He's gonna walk out with this pair._ Naruto always knew when Sasuke was smitten. Sometimes it took an hour, sometimes it was the first pair he picked up. Today, it was the velvet boots. They only confirmed it when Kakashi opened the box to show him the pink option: exactly the same pink as the harness, but immensely easier on the eye than the latex pair they'd just seen. Even Naruto, who up until that moment was thinking about buying the latex ones for his own enjoyment anyway, could admit that this pair was a much better choice. He reached behind Sasuke's head and felt the display boot while Sasuke tried on the one in the box. _Oh fuck yeah, that feels_ _nice_ _._ He looked down at Sasuke's leg. He'd rolled his pants up as far as he could and tried on one.

"How's the fit?" Kakashi asked.

"Perfect."  
"Comfortable?"  
"Very."

Naruto felt his stomach twisting into knots as he tried to contain himself. _God he's so hot,_ he thought, hoping he didn't look as warm as he felt. _His legs look so good in those. The color is perfect. Barbie pink is definitely a good one for him. And fuck, look at the way they hug his calves! I hope he tries on the outfit he has in mind as soon as we get home. I'm sure he'll be snarky about it and make me beg for it but-_

"Thank you, Kakashi."

Naruto blinked. He had clearly missed something important- Sasuke only thanked Kakashi before they left the store if he did them a huge favor- but the two were clearly having a moment, Kakashi smiling with his eyes and Sasuke looking... well, not necessarily emotional by any _human_ standard, but by Sasuke standards he looked absolutely touched. Not moved to tears, not even really looking much different than usual, but it was something in the expression around his eyes. Naruto couldn't quite name it, especially out of context, but he knew he'd seen it before despite its rarity.

He followed the other two men to the counter, where Kakashi rang Sasuke up and bagged the shoes. Naruto almost hated to see them go away, but he knew they'd make an appearance again soon enough. He waited until they were out the door and in the car to say anything.

"Okay, so what just happened in there?" Whatever it was, Sasuke was clearly over it- he was wearing the same resting bitch face as usual- but Naruto noticed how his fist tightened a little around the steering wheel.

"Kakashi gave me a very good deal, that's all."  
"That's it?"

"That's it."

The rest of the ride was rather quiet. Naruto kept glancing back at their purchase in the backseat, and he hoped his hand didn't tighten on top of Sasuke's too much on the gearshift. Sasuke's smirk said otherwise. _He's definitely gonna make me beg for it, that smug motherfucker..._

The tires crunched on gravel as they rolled into their driveway, Sasuke cutting the engine and snatching the bag before Naruto got the chance. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him, earning a snicker.

"You're a real dick."

"I _wish_ I had a real dick."

"Don't you dare play that card, Sasuke."

"Hn, you're right. If I had a real dick it'd put yours to shame."

"What?!" he shrieked, moving to tackle him but instead barreling straight through their open doorway. Naruto just barely caught his balance, inches away from face-planting on the hallway rug as it slipped out from under him. "You absolute _shit stick_ -!"

Sasuke laughed as the front door shut and Naruto righted himself, pouting and glaring with all the menace he could muster. Sasuke was thoroughly unfazed, still laughing as he brushed right past Naruto and into the bedroom. Naruto followed, but _only_ to start an argument, not because he'd been thinking horny thoughts since before they even got to the shoe store. No siree, not that at all.

"I could have cracked my head open and _died_ , y'know! How could you, Sasuke, I-!"

He stopped short. Sasuke had gotten naked _incredibly_ quickly.

"W-what the hell are you doing?!" Naruto screeched. Sasuke glanced back at him over his shoulder, brow raised as if it were the stupidest question in the world.

"What's it look like I'm doing? Gotta try on the outfit before I wear it to work." 

And now Naruto was more turned on than earlier, his goal of causing problems on purpose forgotten. Naruto watched Sasuke don a mesh crop-top and his leathery little booty shorts. The top was completely see-through, making Naruto swallow as his eyes flitted all over his body, trying to avoid staring at any one part for too long. Sasuke always covered his nipples and scars for work, but at home there was no need. Naruto already knew what he looked like, after all. Still, seeing him dressed sexy without tape or pasties had Naruto's heart thumping a little harder. He watched Sasuke pull the harness over his head, securing a few of the straps over his body. He nodded at the fact that the straps across his chest covered the surgical scars. Last but certainly not fucking least, Sasuke opened the shoebox on the bed and pulled on the boots. His height increased by four inches. Naruto watched with wide, unblinking eyes as Sasuke walked up to their closet, the doors of which were made of mirrors. He checked himself out, bending, stretching, pacing the strip of hardwood floor between the doors and the bed. Sasuke glanced to the side, catching Naruto staring. He smirked.

"You can close your mouth, idiot." Naruto did- _when did my jaw fall open?!_ \- but sauntered in and closed the door behind himself as if he were the epitome of cool swagger anyway. Sasuke continued to watch himself in the mirror even as Naruto came up behind him, slipping his arms around his waist. Sasuke leaned back into the embrace a bit, a patented Uchiha smirk on his face. "Like what you see?"

"More than you can imagine," he answered, mouthing the juncture of his neck and shoulder. A little shiver raced up Sasuke's spine.

"Gimme an idea."

Naruto spun and pushed Sasuke up against the wall, planting his knee firmly between his legs.

"You've been driving me crazy all afternoon," he said in a seductive purr. "I haven't stopped thinking about you since you said you wanted shoes." Sasuke chuckled a little, grinding his ass against Naruto's crotch and pulling a moan from him.

"Oh yeah?" he goaded.

" _Yes_ ," Naruto hissed, head falling back. "Fuck yes, Sasuke. It took all of my self-control not to jump you in the store." He drew his tongue along the shell of Sasuke's quickly-reddening ear. He bit back a lewd noise. "Those boots are so fucking sexy. And the way you looked at them..." He pressed even closer, their bodies grinding hard, Naruto's clothed erection already stiff and needy. "For just a second, it looked like all your dreams had come true." His palms trailed all the way up Sasuke's sides until at last they reached his wrists, pinning them to the wall. "Now that they're yours, we can make my dreams come true, too." Sasuke moaned a little, spreading his legs out to the sides.

"I think this'll be better than your imagination," he breathed. "I've got a surprise for you." Naruto raised a brow.

"Oh? What kind?" Sasuke chuckled darkly, gyrating his hips in a way that made Naruto moan even louder.

"Find out for yourself, Naruto."

With the invitation made, Naruto no longer felt the need to hold back. The harness was unstrapped and falling to the floor within seconds, the loose mesh top fluttering to the floor somewhere behind them. Naruto ran his palms up and down his torso, tweaked his nipples and scraped his nails down his sides, leaving soft love-bites along Sasuke's shoulders. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his booty shorts, tugging them down to-

His pupils blew so wide, they must have covered up the blue of his iris entirely. Right in front of him was Sasuke's perfect ass, and buried within it was the biggest butt plug they owned.

"Have you been wearing this the whole time?" he asked, nearly breathless. 

"Yes," he admitted easily. Naruto resisted the urge to sink to his knees and cry at how perfect this man was.

"You _drove_ like that."

"Sure did." 

"How? How did you walk around like this and not even show it?" Sasuke smirked.

"I have one helluva pokerface." Naruto shook his head, leaning down and sucking a bruise onto his left asscheek.

"One of these days I'm takin' you to Vegas."

"Mm, why? So you can fuck me against the slot machines?" Sasuke moaned as Naruto sucked an even darker mark on his right cheek.

"Now _there's_ an idea..."

Naruto had half a mind to rip the butt plug out and smash Sasuke into a million pieces, but he knew better than that. Instead he grabbed a bottle of lube out of their nearby dresser- one of many bottles stashed in key locations throughout the house- and started stroking himself as he slowly edged the toy out of Sasuke. He arched, his facade starting to crack, and just as he anticipated the sweet relief of the plug pulling out, Naruto thrust it back in. Sasuke gasped, nails scraping against the wall with a sound that made Naruto's teeth hurt.

"Fuck, Naruto!"

"You like that, Sasuke?" he asked, redundantly. He already knew the answer was a resounding _yes_. Before Sasuke had a chance to respond, Naruto was slowly pulling it again, watching the shape of the toy begin to emerge. Three stacked beads with the largest on the bottom and the smallest at the tip, with a flared base attached to the largest bead. Simple, but so very effective. Naruto pulled it out almost all the way, spreading the warm lube from his hand over it while Sasuke surely thought he'd pull it out, then slid it sharply back in. Sasuke's forehead hit the wall as he moaned. Naruto's turn to chuckle darkly. "No concussions," he warned.

"Then hurry the fuck up." Naruto tsked.

"So impatient. I guess this got you more riled up than you let on." Sasuke's growl morphed into a whine as Naruto started pumping the toy in and out of him at leisurely pace.

"Naruto! Stop- _ngh!_ \- fucking around!"

"But Sasuke, this is all _about_ fucking around." He did pick up the pace a bit, though, Sasuke's breaths starting to come in shallow pants.

"Y-you know what I- _ha, ah!_ \- mean!"

"I don't think I do, Sasuke," he teased. "Why don't you tell me exactly what it is you want?"

Sasuke growled again, but nothing could wipe the smug grin off Naruto's face. Sasuke had fully anticipated on making Naruto beg for it at the beginning, but now he was begging Naruto. It wasn't often Sasuke got played by his own game, and he'd surely make Naruto pay for it later. _I don't care though, I'm milking this for all it's worth..._ Sasuke gave a strangled moan, and Naruto slowed just a bit to allow him to collect himself.

"Fine, fine! I want your cock, okay?" Naruto bit his lower lip.

"How bad?"

"So bad," Sasuke said. Naruto pursed his lips.

"I don't know if I buy that. You don't sound _desperate_ enough..."

Sasuke preemptively shuddered. He knew _exactly_ what that meant; Naruto had stolen his own words, after all.

"I'm gonna punish you like you wouldn't believe," he threatened.

"Is it really punishment if I love every second of it?"

"Go fuck your- _oh shit!_ "

Naruto had ripped the toy out and quickly replaced it with four of his lube-slicked fingers. Sasuke's whole body shuddered.

"Not feeling so feisty now, huh?" Naruto teased, words dripping desire. All Sasuke could do was moan as Naruto pushed more of his hand inside, his free hand dragging up and down his left boot as he knelt. Naruto's cock jumped at the sight of Sasuke at this angle, at the sensations. Hot and wet around his right hand, cool and soft against his left. His right hand slipped in until only his thumb remained free, his fingers rubbing Sasuke's walls and making him moan senselessly. 

"Naruto, please!" he gasped.

"Please what, Sasuke?"

" _Do_ something!"

"Oh? You mean like this-"

Sasuke's moan went wanton as Naruto mouthed his way up the back of his thigh and began languidly thrusting his hand in and out of his ass, just like he'd done with the toy. Sasuke would have writhed if he had anywhere to move, but pressed so tightly to the wall all he could do was lean back into Naruto's touch. Naruto bit into Sasuke's asscheek, making him cry out in mixed pleasure and pain. Each inhale was a gasp and each exhale was some broken variant of Naruto's name. Sasuke trembled, and Naruto knew he was already nearing the brink.

"Naruto, please!" he cried again, and now his tone was so desperate it made Naruto's groin ache.

"Please what, Sasuke?" he repeated.

"P-please, Naruto, fuck me! I want- _fuck!_ \- I _need_ it, please-!"

Naruto slowed his ministrations, leaving Sasuke twitching and sensitive. He rose slowly, his fingers dragging up the left side of Sasuke's body from ankle all the way up to his shoulder, from soft velvet to supple flesh.

"Now was that so hard to say?" he cooed. Once more, Sasuke didn't get a chance to answer. He only moaned as Naruto's cock entered him at last. His legs drew up along the wall, and Naruto grabbed them to pin him there, Naruto's upper body flush to his back. Naruto moaned right in Sasuke's ear, making goosebumps stand proud along his arms. "Sasuke," he murmured as his hole enveloped him. It was looser than usual, but no less pleasurable. In fact, Naruto reveled in the slap of their flesh, in the wet sounds of their sex and the sizzle of their skin. He breathed down the back of Sasuke's neck as he pounded into him. Sasuke's high, breathy moans were nearly drowned out by his own rapid pulse. He twisted his hands just to feel the velvet against them, licked paths to nowhere across Sasuke's skin just to taste him.

"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto, _Naruto_ -!" It was the mantra of someone who'd forgotten everything else. Sasuke's world had shrunk down to this moment, this one spot on the wall where Naruto fucked him stupid, and Naruto's world was quickly narrowing to that same point. Sasuke was at the edge and it would take so very little to push him over it. Naruto wanted to see him undone. The mere concept had Naruto moving faster and faster, pleasure coiling so tight in his stomach it hurt, vision blurring.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, _Sasuke_ -!"

Sasuke clenched around him at the same time Naruto gave a particularly hard thrust, and the coil snapped.

Naruto's system flooded with boiling heat, Sasuke's name ripping raw from his throat. Ecstasy and Sasuke's heady scent had his head spinning. Naruto leaned heavily against Sasuke's body, pressing him flat to the wall, his cock pulsing deep inside him. Sasuke's orgasm rippled through him in waves, making his whole body quake. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's middle, holding him close as Naruto came down from his own climax. Gradually, Sasuke came down, too, oversensitive and nearing hyperventilation.   
"Calm down," Naruto soothed, pressing his lips to Sasuke's shoulder.   
"T-too much," he panted, strained, and Naruto knew what that meant. He gently pulled out and slumped to the floor with Sasuke still in his arms, still held close to Naruto's chest. He didn't comment on the fact that Sasuke's palms and forehead were still pressed to the wall, that Sasuke's breathing was still too erratic and that a few of those exhales were punctuated with what sounded like very restrained sobs. _Sex so good it sends him into sensory overload,_ Naruto thought with a perhaps undeserved feeling of victory, rubbing his palm firmly over Sasuke's heart.

It didn't take long for Sasuke to gather himself again and lean back, tracing his fingers idly over Naruto's bare thighs. 

"You good?" Sasuke nodded, squirming until he was comfortable. "Not getting a migraine, right?"

"No. Just... a lot." Naruto nodded, pulling Sasuke's hair back from his forehead to cool down.

"Coffee and a shower?" he asked.

"More like washcloth and a nap." Naruto snorted, nosing the spot behind Sasuke's ear and leaving a little kiss there.

"Like a little baby. All you want is to be cleaned and put to bed."

"Naruto," he warned.  
"Should I warm you some milk while I'm at it?"

"Shut up, Naruto."

"I could read you a bedtime story."  
"I won't go easy on you."

"Sing you a lullaby?"

"Shut _up_."

"Want a stuffed animal to cuddle, too?"

"Naruto, I swear to god, if you don't shut the fuck-"

"I bet you have a onesie hiding somewhere, don't you-?"

Pain shot through his nose and straight into his brain, sending him flying backward. Naruto had _not_ been expecting such swift retaliation. Usually Sasuke's reflexes were way too slow for that after the kind of sex they just had.

"Did you just fucking _headbutt_ _me_?"

"Told you to shut up," Sasuke sniffed, getting up and walking right out the door.

"Sasuke, that _hurt_!" he whined. Naruto couldn't help but smirk triumphantly at the little wobble in Sasuke's steps, even though he was the one laid out with a potentially broken nose. 

"Cry about it," he replied coldly, vacating the room entirely. Naruto snickered. _Nothing better than annoying him._

"Worth it," he muttered to himself, getting up and chasing after Sasuke, fully intending to continue antagonizing him anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i re-wrote this a thousand times but still hate how it ended (⌯˃̶᷄ ﹏ ˂̶᷄⌯)ﾟ oh well, hope nya'll liked it! next chapter eventually? idk when sorry


	4. Buckles All the Way Up

It had been about a week since Sasuke's barbie pink debut, and he had yet to follow through on his promise to punish Naruto. The blonde pretended not to be disappointed. _He probably forgot he even said that,_ he reasoned, flipping idly through a home improvement magazine. _It's not like I'm gonna remind him, either. I suppose I should-_

"Well, I'm off."

"Okay, babe, have-"

To say Naruto's eyes nearly bulged out of his head was an understatement. No, Sasuke clearly had _not_ forgotten about his promise. Just the boots would have been enough of a signal, but he'd decided to go seven steps further and put on the whole get-up. Tall black platform boots with buckles up the sides, fishnets covering otherwise bare thighs, a sleeveless leather bodysuit with studs on the shoulders that Sasuke only kept half-zippered up, a black collar with a silver O-ring. He layered a big black trench coat over the whole ensemble, cinching the belt tight around his waist. Sasuke finally turned to acknowledge Naruto, brow raised in interest and amusement.

"What's wrong, dobe? Cat got your tongue?"  
"You have no business going out looking that sexy. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to hold you hostage." 

Sasuke snorted, winding a scarf around his throat to cover the collar and protect himself from the cold. The brutal winter resisted giving way to spring even this late into March. This sudden cold snap was hopefully its last hurrah. 

"This isn't for you. I was reserved for a party, remember? This is the kind of look that'll impress them."

"Ah, I see. So you're gonna LARP as a dominatrix for a bunch of grody businessmen, right?"

Sasuke's jaw ticked, which meant Naruto's guess was spot-on. 

"You could have refused to do it, y'know," Naruto pointed out calmly, returning to the magazine in his hands.

"I don't refuse work."

"Didn't you take this job specifically to avoid corporate types?" Sasuke set a glare on him that would have torn holes through anyone else. Naruto just blinked. _Riling him up is so easy with these types of gigs..._ "I'm just saying, if you wanted to entertain a bunch of suits all day you could have done literally anything else with your life. You chose to be a dancer at The Lime for a reason."

"I haven't forgotten," Sasuke muttered, pulling on a pair of gloves. "But refusing a job could tarnish The Lime's reputation. Could cost them partnerships and investors."

"Well that's a bit dramatic-"

"I overhead Shikamaru and Neji."

Naruto's eyes widened a fraction.

"What?"

"I was standing right there, but they didn't notice me. I heard them say these were investors and that they needed to be impressed. They needed to see The Lime as a legitimate business, and our dancers as professionals. Shikamaru knows one of the guys personally, he's into the BDSM scene. So they chose me." Naruto nodded at the unspoken part: Sasuke was the most professional dancer The Lime had, and he was the best at capturing the aesthetic these particular clients would like. Shikamaru and Neji would have to be idiots _not_ to choose Sasuke for this particular task. Naruto smiled, pride swelling in his chest. Sasuke wouldn't gloat about it, but Naruto knew he was proud of himself, too.

"Well, they made the right choice with you."

Sasuke grinned, making his way to the front door.

"I'll be back in a couple hours. Be ready for me to vent my frustrations on you." Naruto's cock twitched.

"I'm looking forward to it."

_

Sasuke was gone exactly two and a half hours, and he sure did look frustrated.

Naruto had busied himself the whole time Sasuke was gone. He'd replaced the bathroom door knob, fixed the leaky kitchen faucet, dusted the shelves, vacuumed the carpets, and watered all the plants. He even showered after all that just to kill some time. Despite the many distractions he made for himself, though, Naruto couldn't get his mind off Sasuke. _He kept me waiting a lot longer than usual for my punishment. I wonder if it will be more intense than usual?_ His toes curled at the thought. _I sure hope it is. He's so good at being a dom..._ No sooner had Naruto finished that thought than the front door slammed open and shut, rattling the pictures hanging up in the hall. Sasuke stood menacingly in the doorway, staring wordlessly, and Naruto felt his body tense with danger and desire.

"Welcome home."

"Shut the fuck up." _Oh he's deadly serious about this today. It's been so long since we've had a real BDSM sesh. C'mon Sasuke, gimme what you got. Fuck me right here-_

Sasuke ripped the collar free and tightened it around Naruto's throat instead. He shivered.

"You weren't kidding when you said be ready," Naruto breathed. Sasuke huffed, shoving his finger beneath the collar and using it to tow Naruto toward the bedroom.

Naruto was tossed unceremoniously into the mattress. For a moment he laid still, unsure whether Sasuke would jump him immediately or take his time. He listened to him stomp around the room, grabbing items, and took that as an okay to sit up. He preemptively removed his shirt, licking his lips as his gaze trailed all over Sasuke's lithe form.

"Face the wall," Sasuke commanded, and Naruto turned around to do exactly that. Handcuffs clinked around his wrists.

"Mm, kinky." 

"Don't talk. Sex noises only."

"What, you don't think my voice is sex-?"  
  


The question died in his throat as Sasuke pressed in a pair of earplugs. They were followed suit by a blindfold and a pair of noise-canceling headphones. All Naruto could hear now was his own rapid pulse. He couldn't even hear himself breathe, just feel the rush of air in and out of his lungs as his chest rose and fell. Blinded like this, he had no way of knowing what Sasuke would do next. He shook with anticipation already, unable to stop the smile that spread over his face. _Sasuke's gonna fuck me so hard-_

He inhaled sharply as teeth slid from beneath his ear all the way down his neck and over his shoulder. Goosebumps rose all over Naruto's body. Sasuke moved to the other side, teeth tracing the same path there, making Naruto shiver again. He always made sure things happened equally to both sides of his body. Naruto arched back as those teeth sank into his flesh, undoubtedly leaving a nasty purple mark. Sasuke bit his way up the shoulder, the neck, behind Naruto's ear. Naruto thought maybe he was making noises, but he couldn't be sure. All he knew was that Sasuke's mouth was made of magic, and it hurt so good as he returned to the first side and bruised a trail there, too. Sasuke's body pressed tight to Naruto's back, nails digging into his hips as something wet and hard slid against Naruto's lower back. He gasped at the realization of what it was, his cock straining against his jeans. _Sasuke's gonna fuck me so, so hard... _

He was pushed down onto his stomach. Nimble fingers reached under him to unbutton and unzipper his pants, pulling them and his underwear off in one clean swoop. He knew he moaned this time as Sasuke's hands ran from his ankles all the way up to the tops of his thighs, twitching as he brushed his fingers over the most sensitive parts. His fingers were followed by his lips, licking and sucking from ankle to knee, then switching to hard sucks and bites from the knee upward. Naruto rutted against the mattress, pushing back to let Sasuke know he liked it. Sasuke bit into his asscheek, hard, so hard Naruto wondered if it drew blood, and the thought made his stomach drop. Bite after bite after bite, until his ass was so covered in bruises he knew sitting would be a problem later, and that only had his pleasure building higher as he humped the bed, desperate for friction, relief, _anything_. Instead, he felt something wet and hot against his hole, sliding thickly, making him gasp. _Sasuke's... eating my ass..._

Naruto had never come from rimming alone, they both knew that. Rutting against the bed helped a little, but it wouldn't get him off. He needed Sasuke to touch him, since he couldn't touch himself. But he wouldn't. Not yet. This was the punishment, bringing Naruto as close to the edge as possible and leaving him there. He loved it and hated it. He squirmed. Sasuke grabbed his hips and hauled them up from the bed. A reprimand for moving, Naruto knew. His whine morphed into a moan as Sasuke's tongue traced his hole, swiped down his crack, pushed its way inside him. His breathing was getting labored already, extra sensitive without sight or sound. Sasuke's hands slid up to knead Naruto's asscheeks, making his back arch. Thumbs spread him open, allowing Sasuke's tongue to get just a bit further inside. Heat rose beneath his skin. _I might come just from this, for the first time ever..._

He gasped as he was jerked backward, spun, and tossed onto his back. He resisted the urge to curl in on himself and hide, protect himself. Sasuke would never hurt him unless Naruto wanted it. Punishment did not equal pain. Sasuke much preferred the psychological component. Right now, the only thing that hurt was the fact that his hands were still cuffed and they were digging into his back. Sasuke reached beneath him, unlatched one of them, and repositioned his hands before he clicked it back on. Now his arms were raised above his head, back flat against the mattress, and that felt a lot better. The air was cool against his cock, hard and hot and _needy_ , and he felt his nipples harden. _Did Sasuke open a window? He better not have, the whole neighborhood will hear us..._ He shuddered, and not from the chill in the air. The potential humiliation made his cheeks sting. This was all part of the punishment, too. The what-ifs, the insecurity of being unable to gauge how loud he was being or what he might look like or who might be able to hear. But he loved that, too, because it meant he didn't have to worry about any of those things. If Sasuke didn't like the noises, he could gag him. If Sasuke didn't like the faces, he could cover his face or flip him over. If he didn't like the way Naruto moved, he could tie him in place. But he didn't. And that meant Sasuke liked it, and that had Naruto's cock stiffening further, dripping pre-cum.

The bed jostled, and a familiar weight settled on his chest. Sasuke's boot. Naruto's jerked his hands forward on instinct alone, but he didn't try to touch yet. Not like he really could with them bound like this. The weight started to lift, allowing Naruto to sit up with it. Sasuke grabbed the cuffs, hand radiating warmth, and pulled Naruto forward. He followed the movement off the bed. Something nudged the back of his legs, and he knelt on the floor. A downward tug on the cuffs had him prostrate, hands in front of him like an offering. He felt a piece of leather scrape his lips as the boot landed heavily between his face and hands, within the ring of his arms. Sasuke had stepped heavily on purpose, so Naruto could feel it. He pulled his arms in until his wrists were pressed to Sasuke's boot. He leaned forward until his lips found leather again. The toe of Sasuke's boot. _No way is he letting this happen right now..._ Naruto hesitantly licked at the leather, expecting quick retribution. Nothing. He trembled, excited, licking at it again. Still nothing. 

"Fuck yes!"

He knew he said it aloud, he felt the breath puff between his own lips and Sasuke's boot. Desperation. He licked and sucked his way up Sasuke's leg, tracing the straps and mouthing the cold metal buckles. Pleasure was a tight twist in his stomach. It burned in his face like a fever, made him shake. He leaked onto the floor, might have drooled, but he didn't care. All he wanted was release. _Please, Sasuke, let me come,_ he thought desperately, nearly to the top of the boot now. _Please, Sasuke, I need you, please-!_

Sasuke's leg tugged upward, and Naruto let go. He was pulled up roughly by the arms and slung back onto the bed. He bounced, scrambling to right himself. He was panting harshly. For a few moments, all was still and quiet save for his own shaking, his own pulse. Then the bed dipped on either side of him, and he felt Sasuke hovering over him. The headphones slid off. Sasuke's fingers slid under the blindfold and removed the earplugs.

"Listen," he whispered. Naruto held his breath. Something dropped onto the bed beside him. He jumped as it began to play sound, trying to roll away from how loud it was. "Shh," Sasuke soothed, and Naruto heard a button clicking and the sound got softer, easier on his ears. It took Naruto a moment to understand what he was hearing, but his mouth fell open when he did. Loud, raunchy moaning. Wet gasps. A broken voice crying, "Sasuke, Sasuke, please!" And Naruto realized it was himself. That was _his_ voice. He sounded as desperate as he'd felt, as he still kind of felt. 

"You recorded me," he said, shocked, jarred a bit by the sound of his own voice in his head and the air at the same time.

"I wanted you to hear what a whore you are."

Naruto shuddered. Sasuke didn't often break out words like that- something about repeated degradation being damaging to the psyche or some shit- but when he did, it made Naruto's hairs stand on end. He cringed at a particularly loud cry emanating from the phone beside him.

"Turn it off."

"Not a chance in hell." Sasuke leaned forward, tongue caressing the shell of Naruto's ear. "I want you to come listening to yourself."

Naruto stiffened as he heard a click above his head. Sasuke had cuffed him to the headboard in his distraction. The headphones made a return, but this time they played the sounds, even clearer than they'd been before.

"Sasuke, please, fuck!" he heard himself say. His body reacted as if it were another person; his breath started to sync with the breaths he heard in the recording, and he felt little whimpers escaping in response to his own recorded moans and Sasuke's fingers tweaking his nipples on their way down his own body. It made his head spin. And, of course, Sasuke had to make it even _worse_ ; something prodded at Naruto's entrance, making him jump in surprise. Sasuke's thumbs rubbed circles into his thighs, trying to get him to relax. It was hard with his own loud moaning in his ears. Slowly, Sasuke's strap-on pressed forward, moving further and further inside Naruto, far past the point that Sasuke's tongue could reach. He could hear himself licking Sasuke's boot. Obscene slurping, lewd sucking, the soft tinkle of belt buckles shifting. He could still taste the leather in his mouth, and he swore if Sasuke wasn't filling him his stomach would have fallen out. He felt fingers dig into his hips. Another hooked beneath the blindfold and pulled it up so Naruto could see. He squinted even in the dim light of their bedroom. Sasuke looked like a goddess, washed in a soft golden glow from the lamp way in the back of the room. He was naked save for the harness holding his strap-on in place. He smirked down at Naruto as he began to move.

Sasuke always based the rhythm on Naruto's breathing. Meaning right now, he was going hard and fast. Naruto couldn't tell if the recording had looped back to the beginning or if he was hearing himself as this was happening now. It confused him, and he couldn't bother with thinking when he was overwhelmed with the feeling of Sasuke pounding into him. His chest hurt with how hard he was breathing, his nails cutting into the wooden slats of their headboard. It was all so _much_. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, and Sasuke tossed his hair back above him, and his arms flexed as he held Naruto's hips down, and-

He snapped into a deep arch as he came, eyes open but seeing nothing. He clenched around Sasuke. His cock throbbed, pumping cum hot and sticky onto his stomach. A few of his nails broke with how hard he gripped the headboard, but the pain only intensified the pleasure into one blurry mess. He didn't know when Sasuke ripped the headphones off, when he flung the blindfold away, when his mouth latched onto Naruto's neck to suck a bruise everyone would be able to see, but Naruto felt it all beneath the drum of ecstasy beating in his whole body. He lost his senses for just a moment too long. Disoriented, floating and sinking all at once, and he felt hands like paddles on his chest, shocking him back into the present. His chest opened and he sucked in a deep breath, vision clearing. Sasuke was still on top of him, sweat dripping down onto Naruto's face from his hairline.

"Naruto," he said slowly. "Are. You. Okay." Naruto nodded dumbly, eyes wide and unblinking. "You need to blink, stupid." He did. "Can you speak?"

"Think so," he breathed. Sasuke nodded, lifting up off him and uncuffing his hands. He helped Naruto sit up, arranged the pillows so he could lean back against the headboard. He watched Sasuke rub the marks on his wrists. "Am I, like... still in my body?" he asked dazedly. Sasuke snorted.

"Usuratonkachi, what kinda question is that? Of course you are." Sasuke reached out and tilted his chin, gazing deeply into his eyes as if he could see the inner machinations of Naruto's mind through them. It was chilling and thrilling and holy _shit_ was he far gone, or what? "We're not doing that again if it's gonna make you dissociate," he decided.

"No!" Naruto cried. Sasuke's brows shot upward. "I-I mean... I definitely wanna do something like that again. Just... not any time soon, maybe. I need to... process all this." Sasuke nodded a few times, still holding Naruto's hands between his. He seemed to notice he was doing that at the same time Naruto did, pressing his lips in a chaste kiss to Naruto's hands.

"Stay here. I'll get you water."

"No, you stay," Naruto demanded, latching onto Sasuke. He rolled his eyes, but settled against his chest all the same, tucking his head beneath Naruto's chin.

"You really can't wait three minutes to cuddle?"

"No. Cuddles now."

"Fucking _demanding_."

"Don't complain, you love it."

"Ah, yes. Everyone knows how much I enjoy-" Sasuke checked his palm as if reading from an imaginary notebook. "-being confined and touching other people," he finished with a deadpan tone. Naruto laughed, still feeling weirdly giddy.

"I don't count as people and you know it. And you're not confined, my arms are like _jelly_. You could get out easily if you wanted to."

"Hmph..."

Sasuke did not, in fact, try to get out. Quite the opposite, actually; he wriggled around until he was comfortable and nuzzled against Naruto with a deep sigh. He couldn't help but smile, closing his eyes and sniffing Sasuke's hair. _What a crazy life I live. Punishment days are some of my favorite days..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't ask me wtf that was, idk, i just wanted to try writing something new lol. praise/berate me in the comments ig


	5. Dirty Reeboks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for mentions of unintentional starvation, stress eating, and arson 
> 
> for the sake of this story pls pretend naruto didn't give gaara a friendship lobotomy so he just kept being an awful person until they met as college freshmen and got into an incredibly toxic relationship, okay thnx buh-bye
> 
> also i started writing this before we had the conversations about safe words in the comments of the last chapter so that's funny lol, hope this helps clear things up

Technically neither of them were supposed to be working today, but they picked up the next two day shifts in exchange for Thursday night free. They parted on the stairs, Naruto going to the second floor bar while Sasuke went up to the third. _I'm not used to the day shift,_ he thought, nodding to the bartender and waitress. _I literally don't even know these people. Eh, whatever. It'll just be a long, boring shift, then..._

"Hey."

He blinked, nodding again to the bartender.

"I've never seen you before. You new?" he asked, chewing on a toothpick. Naruto snorted.

"Hardly. I'm usually on night shift."

"Ah. You're gonna be real disappointed, then. No action on a Tuesday afternoon." Naruto shrugged. "Want a drink?" Naruto raised a brow.

"I... don't drink on the job." The guy snorted, mixing a drink anyway.

"Now's the time to start. You'll just stand here bored out of your skull the next six hours." His lips pursed and eyes narrowed. "You look like a Blue Hawaii kinda guy." Naruto's brows shot into his hairline.

"How'd you know that?" It was, in fact, Naruto's favorite drink, though he didn't order it often. The guy shrugged, the crow's feet around his eyes crinkling a little more.

"Been in this business a long time, kid. You get a feel for people after a while." He gestured for Naruto to sit at the end of the bar, where he could still look out over the rest of the floor. Just the waitress- a mature, elegant woman with voluminous dark hair- and the two tables she was serving. "I bet a lover picked you up once by buying you this drink," the man continued. "Said it matched your eyes."

Naruto felt heat prickle in his face as he nodded. _It's how Sasuke asked me out. He was so smooth..._

"Ah, I knew it. Tell me about it."

"Tell me your name first?" The bartender laughed.

"Right, right. Shiranui Genma. You?"  
"Uzumaki Naruto."

_

Six years ago. Naruto slumped against a corner booth at The Lime, waiting for Sasuke to arrive. He'd already scarfed down a burger and fries, and was debating ordering more food. _Sasuke will definitely yell at me for stress eating, but I can't help it. Just lost my job and my boyfriend... _He groaned, letting his forehead smack against the table. He didn't want to think about Gaara. At _all_. They were bad for each other, he _knew_ they were bad for each other, but if there was one thing Naruto hated more than being mistreated, it was being alone. He already knew exactly what Sasuke would say: Gaara's too aggressive, he takes his traumas out on Naruto, he's possessive and suffocating, good fucking riddance. Naruto sighed. He'd known all that for the last two years. Yet what did he do? Sat there and wasted his time anyway. He could have broken this relationship off at the six month mark, but instead he let it go on for two fucking years. It was hard. Gaara was dangerous, and the danger scared him, but it also turned him on. _What I really need is someone otherwise safe with a dark side. Someone who will love and nurture me, but when needed will whip my ass into shape. Someone with clear boundaries and strict rules and an actual moral compass-_

Sasuke sank into the booth opposite him, holding two drinks. He placed a Tom Collins in front of himself (probably unsweetened knowing him) and shoved a funky blue drink Naruto's way. The relief was palpable. Sasuke, his childhood friend, the one person he could always rely on. And definitely the best person to get smashed with. Just seeing his face made Naruto feel a bit better.

"The hell is this?"  
"Blue Hawaii."

"What the fuck is a Blue Hawaii?"  
"Just drink it. You'll like it."

Naruto narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but leaned down and took a sip nonetheless. Pineapple, the orange tang of blue curaçao, sweet and sour and definitely highly alcoholic but not tasting like it at all.

"Oh, I can't have any more of these," Naruto said.

"Why not? Don't you like it?"  
"That's the problem, I like it a lot. I'll suck down four of these faster than you can say 'quesadilla'."

"Is that your weird way of telling me you want a quesadilla?"  
"Maybe."

Sasuke signaled for the nearest waitress. Naruto raised a brow. 

"Your life sucks, treat yourself. You wanna eat yourself sick, go ahead. I'm hungry anyway." Naruto snorted.

"Well maybe if you actually ate once in a while you wouldn't be so hungry all the time."  
"It's not like I intentionally starve myself, idiot. I just forget to eat."  
"How can you _forget to eat_? Food is the best."  
"No, sleep. Sleep is the best." Sasuke sighed. "I miss my bed."

"Oh, no, don't you dare. It's my turn to be sad, we can't _both_ be drunk and sad."  
"I'm not sad, I'm just tired." He rubbed his face with both hands. "Fucking exhausted, actually."

"I still don't know why you're double-majoring. You don't even wanna be a doctor, there's no reason for you to be studying Biology."  
"It's the only way I can keep my scholarship and still do what I want." Naruto shook his head.

"It should be illegal to do Biology and Dance at the same time. You're gonna work yourself to death."

"A fitting end."

The waitress came then, and Sasuke placed both their orders. They only continued once she was out of earshot.

"Anyway, go ahead. Dump your emotions. I'm a willing vessel," Sasuke offered, wafting toward himself. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I honestly don't wanna talk about it. I just wanna eat shit food, get fucking wasted, and sleep for the next three days." Sasuke lifted his drink.

"Cheers, bitch. I'll drink to that."

So that's exactly what they did. Sasuke ate his artichoke dip and Naruto inhaled his quesadilla and another plate of fries, and they ordered drink after drink after drink. Sasuke switched to straight gin at some point, and Naruto occasionally chased a shot of vodka with his Blue Hawaiis, which he was growing very, _very_ fond of.

"-and do you see this?!" Naruto cried, pulling up his sleeve to show a bite mark on his forearm. "Who the fuck _does_ that?!"

"Fuckin' sicko, that's who," Sasuke slurred, face wrinkled with disgust. "You deserve way better than that."  
"I know! I put up with this shit for _two years_ and what do I get?! DUMPED! I got fuckin' DUMPED, Sasuke!" He let his forehead slam against the table again, holding back tears. The table bumped as Sasuke crawled under it, wedging himself between Naruto and the wall and enfolding Naruto in a full-body hug, arms and legs wrapped around him.

"Listen to me, listen," he said, petting Naruto's hair. "Gaara ain't shit. He's a nasty raccoon-lookin' ass hoe and you deserve way, _way_ better." Naruto nodded, lower lip wobbling, and his face stung hot with embarrassment. He didn't want to be crying. He wanted to be on the dancefloor having fun. But Gaara had taken that from him, too, and deep inside he seethed with rage. He tossed back the remains of his drink, and the liquor lit the rage ablaze.

"Y'know what I need, Sasuke?"  
"What, hon?"

"Revenge."

Sasuke's lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Fuck yeah you do."

There was only one thing Gaara actually loved, and it was his car. He parked it in a quiet lot a block from his house to make sure nothing happened to it. Unfortunately, that lot happened to be only six measly blocks from The Lime, and only two blocks away from a convenience store. Naruto and Sasuke stumbled their way to the convenience store. 

"Okay, okay. Imma pretend to be sober," Sasuke said, "wait here." Naruto nodded, leaning against the building and rifling through his pockets. One loose cigarette, and a lighter. An awful habit, he knew, but he always wanted a smoke when he was drunk, and now was as good a time as any to indulge. He took a puff, watching the smoke swirl in the air, and he relaxed against the bricks. It wasn't long before Sasuke emerged, his backpack full of goodies. He grimaced at the cigarette in Naruto's mouth. "No wonder Gaara dumped your ass. Probably taste like an ashtray."  
"He's a pack-a-day smoker, he wouldn't notice."

They wandered to the lot, immediately spotting Gaara's car. A black Hummer, because of course it was. Naruto hadn't much cared about the car before, but now he _loathed_ it. It represented all of Gaara's worst traits.

"Rich cocky douchebag son a bitch-"

"Yeah, that's it, Naruto, get fuckin' angry," Sasuke encouraged, producing two black bandanas from his jacket pockets. He tied one around his face and gestured for Naruto to do the same. He tossed a black beanie at him, too. Naruto didn't even question it; he knew he had to hide his hair, it was way too noticeable on camera. And rule number one of the streets was _always_ assume there are cameras.

"Privileged motherfucker has no idea who he's messing with," Naruto growled.

"Sure fuckin' doesn't. Here-" he said, handing Naruto a carton of eggs. "We'll start with these."

"Eggs? What are we, ten?"  
"Tell me egging this prick's car won't be cathartic, Naruto. Look me in the eyes and tell me it won't make you feel better." Naruto huffed.

"Yeah, you're right. It would."

They opened the carton, making sure they were hidden in the dark. Naruto picked one up and chucked it with all his might. It splattered across the driver's side window, and Naruto felt his heart thump crazily. _Oh yeah. That feels good..._ He picked up another egg, and another. They splattered across the whole side of the car, moved the mirror, and he even lobbed a few to land on the hood and windshield. Soon, the whole carton was empty, and Naruto was panting with excitement. _It's not enough. Eggs are easy enough to wash off. I want real damage..._

"Talk to me," Sasuke said, casually inspecting his nails.

"I wanna break it." Sasuke nodded.

"Thought you might say that. What're you thinking?"

"You still carry around firecrackers?" he asked, voice strangely calm. Sasuke snorted.  
"Does a bear shit in the woods? You _know_ I do." Naruto nodded a few times.

"Still got that clothes hanger?"

"Of course." Sasuke tilted his head to the side, eyes calculating, piecing it all together lightning fast, grinning beneath the bandana. "Tell me what you want, Naruto."  
"I wanna blow this bitch to smithereens."

Sasuke gave a sharp laugh.

"Cover me."

Sasuke didn't need Naruto to cover him. He knew exactly what he was doing. He darted between shadows, wove through alleys and crossed the street so fast Naruto would have missed it if he'd blinked. He played lookout anyway, looking for eyes peeking through blinds or headlights coming down the street. Nothing. Adrenaline coursed through Naruto's veins anyway, making him shake. All he could see was a spark, and he heard the hard slap of Sasuke's footsteps as he rocketed across the street. He grabbed Naruto's arm and tugged him into an alleyway, angling themselves to see the carnage about to happen.

The explosion made the street rumble. They nearly fell over. They clung to one another, watching with bated breath as the fireworks made rainbow flames inside the car, until the flames engulfed it from the inside out with another terrible rumble.

"Naruto?" he whispered. 

"Yeah, Sasuke?"  
"Those might have been a bit stronger than firecrackers." Naruto nodded, wide-eyed, watching the car burn.

"They're perfect."

He finally turned his head to look at Sasuke. _He_ was perfect. The fire cast half his face in a warm glow and the other half in shadow, and that's when Naruto realized: a person otherwise safe with a dark side. Someone who would nurture and love him most of the time, but whip him into shape when needed.

"You," he whispered. Sasuke furrowed his brows.

"What?"  
  


Naruto pulled their bandanas down and crashed their lips together. He felt Sasuke's sharp inhale, and then the way his body melted against Naruto's. He smelled vaguely of gunpowder and tasted like gin. It was Sasuke who broke the kiss, pulling apart dazedly, blinking a few times as if he wasn't sure Naruto was actually standing in front of him.

"You... I..." He shook his head, taking a step back. "Why?"

"'Cause I'm an idiot. You're the person I've been looking for. You're the person..." He pulled Sasuke in by the front of his shirt, and this time he didn't break the kiss. Instead, Sasuke pushed forward, hungry, tongue swiping Naruto's lip in a silent plea. He opened his mouth, their tongues brushing and sending hot shivers through their bodies. They only parted when the need to breathe overwhelmed them, panting as the carnage glowed brighter. "Take me home, Sasuke." He nodded a few times, licking his lips as if he couldn't get enough of Naruto's taste.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's go."

Naruto didn't remember the taxi ride home so much, just the feeling of Sasuke's hand interlaced with his. They tumbled into Naruto's apartment together, diving for another kiss as soon the door shut and locked behind them. Naruto pinned Sasuke to the door. Their teeth clashed, and Sasuke's hands sank into the lapels of Naruto's leather jacket as his legs wrapped around his waist. Naruto growled, squeezing his hips.

"Naruto, wait, wait," Sasuke panted. "We're drunk, you just broke up, you're vulnerable, we shouldn't-"

"Sasuke, do you love me?" He paused.

" _What_?"

"Do you love me?" Sasuke looked pained, as if just hearing that question hurt.

"Of course I love you."

"How? How do you love me?"

Sasuke gripped the lapels of Naruto's jacket harder, eyes wide, searching Naruto's expression. He swore he could see the glassy sheen of tears forming.

"I love you like the moon loves the sun." Naruto forgot how to breathe. "Without the sun's light, the moon disappears into the darkness of an endless sky. But with you, I shine. And sometimes... sometimes I even get to share the sky with you in the daytime." Naruto nodded.

"That's the way I want to be loved." Sasuke laughed wetly.

"I've always loved you, I just, I thought-"

"Let me love you back." Sasuke shook his head, laughing again.

"There's no way this is fucking real," he said, letting his head fall back against the door. "This is _not_ real, it's not-"

"Sasuke, if you don't want this, say something right now." 

"I do, I just..."

He swallowed, and Naruto watched his throat bob.

"I believe what I'm experiencing now is commonly referred to as _feelings_ and I'm not entirely used to it." Naruto smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss to the smooth line of Sasuke's jaw.

"Then let's sort you out." Sasuke took a shaky breath.

"Okay. Okay..."

"Do you want me to kiss you like this?" Naruto asked. 

"Yes."

"Do you want me to touch you?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me... inside you?" Sasuke's grip tightened, knuckles turning white.

" _Yes_." 

"Then let's do that."

Naruto went to move in again, but Sasuke stopped him.

"Wait, wait, wait. Safeword?" he asked. Naruto snorted.

"Oh yeah, make the drunk dyslexic guy remember a random word under pressure. Sounds great." Sasuke chuckled a little. "If you want me to stop, just say stop. I _will_ stop. If I don't get the message, just knock my teeth in." Sasuke gave a sharp laugh.

"Same here. You say stop, it stops." They nodded together.

"Good. Now where was I...?"

He felt Sasuke smirk into the next kiss. Naruto chewed his lower lip, making him moan. He kissed Sasuke's jaw again, his throat, feeling his heartbeat racing there.

"Naruto..." he breathed. Every hair on his body stood on end. He sucked bruises onto Sasuke's neck, making his hips roll and creating a friction that had Naruto hissing with pleasure.   
"God, Sasuke, I need you..."

"I'm here. I'm here..."

He was lighter than Naruto expected as he carried him to the bedroom, never once separating from one another.   
"You need to eat more," Naruto mumbled against his lips.   
"I know something I could eat," he purred, taking Naruto's earlobe between his teeth as he pushed his jacket down his arms. He moaned, tipping forward until Sasuke's back rested against the mattress. He straightened only enough to throw off his shirt, Sasuke shedding his sweatshirt and shirt at the same time beneath him.

Naruto felt his pupils dilate at the sight of Sasuke's binder. He traced his fingers reverently over the fabric, teasing the hem around his ribs. Sasuke never let anyone see beneath his shirt. Now, though, he didn't stop Naruto. He just panted beneath him, cheeks dusted pink, arms above his head and hair splayed against the sheets.   
"So beautiful," Naruto murmured, trailing his fingers over Sasuke's stomach, feeling the ridges of his abs. Sasuke gave a shaky breath, reaching up to cup Naruto's cheek in his palm. His thumb stroked Naruto's cheekbone, and his eyes shone with an adoration Naruto didn't think was possible. He choked under that gaze. _No one's ever looked at me like that..._ "I love you, Sasuke." He smiled up at him.

"I love you, Naruto."

They fell into another kiss, another embrace, fingers working each other's pants open. Naruto sighed as his cock was finally freed, kicking off his shoes and tossing everything else to the floor. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction at the sight of Naruto bare before him, lips parting for his tongue to wet them, slow and seductive. Naruto shivered, kneeling to untie Sasuke's shoes. He propped himself up on his forearms, watching Naruto with a steady gaze. It prickled along Naruto's skin, making his face heat up. The laces were dirty, the sneakers beaten to hell and back, Reeboks so old and well-worn they almost conformed to the shape of his foot. Naruto set them gently on the ground, glanced up at Sasuke for permission to get rid of his clothes. He nodded. Skinny jeans and boxer briefs slid down pale, toned legs, taking his socks with them on their way to the floor. Sasuke sat up, rolling his shoulders and pulling his binder off from the back.

This wasn't the first time either of them had seen each other naked, but it was the first time it'd been like _this_. Facing each other with fire in their eyes.

"Tell me what to do," Naruto whispered, placing his hands on Sasuke's knees.

"Whatever you want," he answered without hesitation. Naruto swallowed, suddenly nervous, butterfly wings flapping harsh in his stomach.

"I don't wanna make you uncomfortable."

"I've never been uncomfortable with you."

Naruto gave a breathy laugh, on the verge of tears. He wrapped his arms around Sasuke's waist and buried his face in his stomach to hide it. Sasuke's hands were gentle in Naruto's hair. For a few moments they stayed like that. It was only once his breathing evened out that Sasuke took Naruto's hands in his, lifting them and holding them to his breasts.

"This is my chest," he said. He slid Naruto's hands down his body, until his palms rested at the very tops of his thighs. "And this is... my entrance. Opening. Hole. Touch everything as little or as much as you want." Naruto nodded with dawning understanding. The terminology Sasuke wanted to use and the invitation to touch, setting Naruto at ease. Sasuke raised one hand, thumb pressing to Naruto's chin and tilting it upward. He smiled. Soft and radiant and so loving, Naruto thought he might die. "Take your time. It's okay." Naruto swallowed more tears.

"I don't wanna wait. I need you."

"I'm here."

Their kiss was sweet. Sasuke shifted up the bed as Naruto crawled onto it. Legs and arms wrapped loose around his body, Sasuke's lips on his cheeks, his jaw, his ears, his throat. Naruto reached under the mattress, groping around until he found a condom. He broke it open with his teeth and rolled it on with one hand, the other anchored in Sasuke's hair. _I need you_ , he thought, over and over. _I need you, I need you, I need you-_

They both gasped as Naruto prodded at Sasuke's opening.

"Good?"

"Good." Naruto bent, marking a path of hot, open-mouthed kisses down Sasuke's chest, taking a nipple into his mouth. Sasuke's nails dragged blunt down Naruto's back, locking his ankles tighter, pulling Naruto down onto his body until every inch of them was touching. Naruto released him with a lewd pop, mouths meeting again as Naruto pushed in a bit further. Slow, giving Sasuke time to stop him, but the words never came. All Sasuke did was dig his heels into the small of Naruto's back. "More," he whispered. He gave it to him, just enough to make him arch against Naruto, needy. One of Sasuke's hands wove into Naruto's hair, pulled his head back to leave bruises along his throat, too. "More." Naruto gave it to him, gradual, until he was bottoming out and Sasuke was giving a pleasured groan.   
"Good?" Naruto checked again, panting.   
"So good." Sasuke rolled his hips. "Move."

Naruto did, a moan floating free from his chest. Sasuke was hot and tight around him, so wet it made noise, and they both blushed at that but Naruto shifted and ecstasy rippled through both of them. Suddenly the noises didn't matter.   
"Sasuke... Sasuke, so good..." Naruto inhaled deeply against Sasuke's throat and shuddered. The world was beginning to fall away, replaced with the drug of Sasuke's scent and the heat between them, sweat forming slick on Naruto's back. He felt as if he was on fire, tears stinging behind his eyes.  
"Naruto... you okay?"

"Hot..." Sasuke nudged his shoulder, trying to move him without separating.   
"Lemme fix it..."

Naruto let Sasuke roll him to the side. Now he was the one lying on his back, head vaguely spinning, and Sasuke was on top. One palm planted on Naruto's chest for balance, the other arm slung across his chest to keep it from bouncing as he began to ride Naruto's cock. He moaned, fingers twisting into the sheets. Sasuke was so beautiful. Powerful yet gentle, cold in the moonlight but so warm around him. Naruto couldn't catch his breath, his pulse strong in his wrists, his throat, his ears, his cock.   
"Sasuke... Sasuke...!" He tightened around Naruto with a deep moan.   
"Naruto...!"

  
Naruto's fingers dug into Sasuke's hips, and he thrusted up into his movements. Their bodies slapped, making Naruto breathe harder.   
"Sasuke...!" he called, urgent. "Sasuke...!" He moaned above Naruto, tossing his hair back, exposing the bruises on his throat, sweat rolling down his heaving chest-

Naruto came hard, quaking, and he knew he shouted but he wasn't sure what. It was probably Sasuke's name. He was all that mattered, all Naruto could remember or think about. He felt Sasuke tremble, heard him say something and felt him clench around Naruto's cock, wringing another moan from him. He felt Sasuke's forehead against his, their panting breaths intermingling.   
"Holy shit..."

Sasuke chuckled a little, sliding Naruto out and removing the condom. Naruto's body felt leaden, magma coursing through his veins. He couldn't even open his eyes. _Right. I'm super drunk and now the room's spinning..._

Sasuke moved Naruto with a grunt, resting his head on a pillow. Naruto rolled onto his side, lifting his arm for Sasuke to get under it. His sweaty chest pressed to Sasuke's sweaty back.   
"We're disgusting," Sasuke mumbled.   
"Fix it later," Naruto mumbled back. Sasuke yawned.

"M'kay. G'night..."

"Night..."

-

"Na. Ru. To."

He blinked. He was sitting at the bar, another Blue Hawaii in his hand, and Genma was starting to look annoyed.  
"Hm?" Naruto hummed, unsure how long he was caught up in those memories.  
"You stopped talking after your first kiss with the exploding car."

"Did I? Sorry," he said, scratching his neck with a nervous smile. "Just got lost in thought." Genma smirked.  
"Good thoughts, I hope."

"Very."

"So tell me, how did the Blue Hawaiis factor in?"

"Oh! He told me later that he bought me Blue Hawaii's 'cause he wanted to ask me out that way, but he chickened out. He was gonna say they matched my eyes." Genma snorted.

"No offense, but you both sound like simpletons." Naruto laughed boisterously, making the few customers turn their heads.

"Maybe a little."

Naruto made idle conversation with Genma for a while, chatting about his past, too, but Naruto's thoughts all circled back to Sasuke. _Come to think of it, our anniversary is coming up. I'll have to do something special for him..._ He spent the rest of the shift sipping cocktails and thinking of him, wondering what he could do to make their day special in just two months' time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i made gaara an asshole but naruto and sasuke are too so it evens out right? haha
> 
> hope nya'll liked it!


	6. Emerald

Sasuke had taken this perhaps a step too far.

It was Safari Night at The Lime. The dancers had collectively decided to have a little competition. An informal contest to see who would have the best costume. Though Sasuke had calmed down immensely over the years, he had never truly shed his competitive nature. Naruto personally enjoyed Sasuke's competitive side, but seeing it flare to life in public was something that hadn't happened in a while.

Tonight's Nightshade ensemble was homemade. They'd gotten some advice from Hinata on how to make it, but they'd designed it and put it together themself. It had taken every moment of their spare time for the last week to get it right. They had decided to take the term "peacocking" to an entirely different level. They wore a vibrant blue bodysuit with a metallic purple sheen, sleeveless and legless with a high collar. It was made from two layers of fabric. A belt was woven between the layers, invisible from the front but exposed in the back. Nightshade had attached approximately half a million fucking peacock feathers to the exposed part in the back. Naruto still didn't understand why they couldn't just glue them straight onto the suit and save themself some trouble, but they insisted on doing it this way instead. Naruto could admit the feathers had fastened on well; not one looked in danger of falling off. Not that it would be a travesty if they did, they were fake feathers bought in bulk from a craft store, but Nightshade clearly took a certain amount of pride in this outfit and didn't want it to fall apart. Naruto had watched them do their makeup; a deep purple lip, sharp black eyeliner made to pop with white eyeshadow toward the outsides of their eyes and cobalt blue on the insides.

And the shoes. Oh Lord, those shoes. Naruto had nearly drooled over them, nearly driven them straight off the road staring at them. Glittery green stilettos so high that all the muscles in Nightshade's legs were emphasized to an unholy degree. Naruto was actually glad that he was "the patroller" tonight, the one who walked around the third floor and made sure no one was harassing the dancers. If he was at the front door, he'd be too close to Nightshade's station. Something about this peacock costume was way more distracting than it should have been. _Must be the colors. They look so good in jewel tones..._ Tenten was at the door checking ID's, looking a bit unhappy about it. She grimaced in response to his smile as he passed. She hated being tied down to the podium all night, much preferring to prowl the floor, but they didn't control their assignments so they sort of just had to deal with it. They did notice, though, that Kiba was stationed downstairs much more frequently than usual lately. Naruto and Tenten theorized that Ino had requested him down there, but they couldn't be sure. 

From what Naruto saw, Nightshade definitely deserved to win the contest. That wasn't even him being biased, almost everyone else's outfits just sucked. Jinks-AKA Sai- was the only one who might give Sasuke a run for his money, but only because he was damn-near naked. He'd painted black stripes on himself like a zebra, his only clothing being a tiny pair of zebra-print shorts. He looked great, sure, but it was low-effort, low-creativity, and frankly, completely lacking in pizzazz. Naruto wasn't seeing it. Cherry Balm-Sakura- looked cute as a little black cat, but it was clearly store-bought and again, not very creative. Rock Lee (no stage name, he was just given a stripper name at birth apparently) was straight-up dressed as a safari tour guide, though the pieces of his costume were quickly disappearing as he stripped. And last but not least, Ana Konda -Anko- had broken out her faux snakeskin body suit again. Naruto would have recognized it anywhere. Sexy, sure, but not creative in the slightest. _Yeah, Nightshade definitely took the competition a little far, but they look fantastic. And look, their little crowd is loving it... _They were getting bills tossed at them left and right, and those watching them were completely enthralled. Naruto shot Nightshade a smile as he passed again. They winked back, and the crowd they'd amassed clearly thought it was meant for them and accordingly went _wild_. Where Sasuke would have tried to shrug off the noise, Nightshade reveled in it, using the crowd's energy to fuel their routine.

A screech sounded from the other side of the room, and Naruto ran without even thinking. It was Cherry Balm's voice. She was on the ground, holding her ankle and swatting at a couple of guys trying to grab her. Naruto darted forward, arms spread to block them. 

"The hell is going on here?!" he barked. 

"She fell, I was trying to help her up!"  
"I _fell_ because you grabbed me, you cretin!" Anger blazed hot behind her eyes. "Naruto, get them outta here!" He nodded.

"Alright, out, let's go!"

"What?! We didn't touch her!"

"You fucking grabbed me!"

"She says you grabbed her. You're out!"

"No! Get me a manager or I'm-!"

"He said leave."

They all whipped toward the sound of a new voice. _Oh fuck yeah, Neji's here!_ The loud-mouthed one laughed.

"The hell are you?"  
"The owner of this establishment." His eyes widened. Neji held up his phone and blatantly snapped a picture, flash blinding. "You're banned. Please see yourselves out or Naruto here will escort you. Your choice." The loud-mouth grumbled, but the quiet one smartly left some bills on the table to cover their tab, flashed Sakura an apologetic glance, and shepherded the loud one out. Naruto hopped up on the stage as a waitress came over to usher the rest of the people who'd been watching Sakura to different tables.

"Hey, Sakura, you okay?"  
"My ankle's fuckin' busted!" she cried.

"Alright, lemme get you down and put your foot up, okay?"

She hooked her arm around his neck and he lifted her up, hopping down from the stage and setting her back down in a chair. He held her foot up for her as he pulled a second chair closer, propping it up.

"Do you need a doctor, Sakura?" Neji asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. She nodded, pouting.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's broken." 

"I can take her," Naruto offered immediately. Neji shook his head.

"You're needed here for security. We're still short-staffed." Naruto nodded. Neji didn't leave room for argument. Not that Naruto wanted to argue with him; Neji was way smarter, he'd definitely win. "Sakura, if you don't mind, I'd like to drive you. It'll be faster than an ambulance."

"Not to mention free," she joked, wincing as she tried to move her foot. Neji bent and helped her up.

"Alright, slow now."'

"I know what I'm doing, Nej. I went to nursing school, remember." He chuckled a little.

"Yes, yes, I haven't forgotten. Consider this even for when..."  


Their conversation disappeared under the music and patrons' voices, and Naruto just shook his head. _Didn't realize they were so close. When did that happen? Eh, whatever..._

That incident set the tone for the rest of the shift. It was a busy, rowdy night. Naruto had to step in and stop a fight near the bar. He had to stop five more clients from touching the dancers, kicking out three of them. He was keeping a closer eye than ever on Nightshade. _If anyone touches them I might lose it. Like, for real lose it. Alright, Uzuamki, chill out, chill out..._ He passed by Lee again, almost naked at the end of his routine. He tried not to physically cringe. Ana Konda, who was currently doing some freaky shit in a patrons lap that Naruto wanted no part of. And Nightshade. Up toward the top of the pole, safe from clients' grubby hands. They were so graceful. They were pulling heavily from their ballet repertoire today, trying to embody the grace of a bird, almost _floating_. It put Naruto at ease again. The people watching them were too enraptured to even try touching, unwilling or perhaps unable to break the spell their performance put them under. _It's silly to fret about them anyway,_ Naruto assured himself as he continued on his route, checking on the waitresses as he passed a cluster of tables. _Nightshade is more than capable of defending themself. They grew up the same way I did. I'm sure they could knock anyone's ass out, heels or no._ Naruto snorted a little. _They'd probably use their heels as a weapon. Imagine gettin' kicked in the face with them shits? Fuck that._

Soon enough, Tenten's voice came over the intercom announcing last call. Naruto settled by the back door, making sure none of the dancers were harassed on their way off the stage and toward the dressing rooms (which was what actually laid behind the back door). Nightshade, predictably, was last out, leaving their adoring public behind to take shelter in anonymity again. Naruto followed, bracing himself against the inside of the door so no one could force their way in. 

"Naruto, what happened to Sakura?" Lee asked, concerned.

"She got hurt. Don't worry though, she's seeing a doctor."

"So that's why I made way more tips than usual! I was the only lady dancing!" Anko said, and it sort of sounded like gloating. Nightshade quirked a brow at that, but declined to join the conversation.

"We need more ladies," Sai lamented. "We're gonna lose all the lesbians."

"Shikamaru's tried to recruit some new girls, but they haven't worked out." Sai shook his head, tsking. Anko smirked. "I heard they'll be trying out someone new next week, though."

"Got a name?"  
"I'm sure she does, but I don't know it yet."  
"I thought you knew everything, Anko," Nightshade finally chimed in.

"I know _most_ things. And I guarantee I'll be the first of this group to find out who she is."

"That's because you're always fucking _here_. You need a life," Sai said, all brazen tactlessness as usual. She laughed.

"Nah, I get into trouble anywhere else."

"You get into trouble here, too."  
" _Less_ trouble here than anywhere else," she corrected. Nightshade rose from their table, the more complex pieces of their costume already taken apart and stuffed in a plastic bag. The rest was covered under their usual black trench coat. 

"Take me home?" Naruto smiled.

"Of course, doll."

Naruto stepped out with Nightshade. Tenten had already cleared the floor and started locking up; she'd surely escort everyone to their cars as well. Naruto shot her a smile on his way out, and she stuck out her tongue. She hated locking up.

Rain poured down on the asphalt. Sasuke hustled ahead, cursing under his breath. Naruto licked his lips at the sight of his coat brushing damp calves, jogging to catch up and hooking their arms together in case Sasuke slipped.

They couldn't have gotten into the car faster. Sasuke frustratedly dug makeup wipes out of his pocket and tsked at his reflection in the mirror attached to the sun visor, scrubbing at the makeup streaking down his face. Naruto bit his lip and grinned, leaning over and shaking his hair out like a dog.

"Usuratonkachi!" he cried, shoving Naruto back into his own seat. He laughed, putting the car in reverse and speeding off. 

Naruto tried to ignore Sasuke's foot propped up on the inside of the door, ignored the way his face emerged from beneath the makeup, ruddy and beautiful. The ride felt long.

Sasuke shivered as they tumbled in the front door, wet and cold. Naruto wrapped his arms around him.

"Dobe, this isn't helping! You're wet, too!" Sasuke snapped, trying to bend down and take off his shoes.

"We can take a hot shower if you promise to put those back on after," Naruto purred, gnawing on his earlobe. Sasuke covered an aroused noise with a groan of exasperation. 

"I knew you were getting yourself worked up over these."

"Of course I was! They're so pretty!"

Sasuke snorted as Naruto finally let him go, shedding his wet clothes right there at the door. Sasuke chucked his shoes through the open bedroom door, following Naruto's lead and stripping everything off into a damp pile. Naruto went ahead of him, setting the shower water as warm as he could without burning themselves. He felt more than heard Sasuke join him. He brushed past, stepping right into the shower and sighing in relief. Naruto followed, catching him around the waist and nibbling beneath his ear.

"You looked so sexy tonight," he whispered. Sasuke purred, reaching for the shampoo to start washing Naruto's hair.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Especially those fuckin' shoes..."

Sasuke dropped the bottle as Naruto dragged his teeth down his jawline.

"Shit! Wait, I thought-"

"Fuck first, clean later," he said, pressing Sasuke up against the wall. He let it happen, wrapping his arms and legs around Naruto's body.

"Don't slip," he warned.

"I won't."

"Don't drop me." Naruto snorted, tugging his earlobe between his teeth.

"You'd survive. But I won't."

Sasuke arched as Naruto tucked his hands beneath him, squeezing his ass. Soft and firm, mostly muscle, just like Naruto liked it.

"So fucking sexy, Sasuke..." His response was to plunge his tongue deep into Naruto's mouth with a growl, hands bunched in his hair. Naruto mouthed his way down Sasuke's shoulder. "Lemme leave marks, Sasuke. Please," he begged, hips grinding insistently

"Fuck yeah," he agreed, breathless. "Want it rough, Naruto..." 

Naruto's growl rumbled in both their chests. The water rinsed sweat down Sasuke's skin. Naruto sucked a bruise to his throat, dark and salty. Sasuke's nails were sharp on his scalp, sharp as the breaths he took while Naruto littered marks all over. 

"Naruto... your turn..." His thighs squeezed against Naruto's sides. He wrenched Naruto up by the hair and bit his way from Naruto's ear all the way down to his bicep. Naruto closed his eyes and moaned, hips rolling so hard against Sasuke's he could feel their bones clashing. "Got two rounds in you...?" Naruto gave a deep moan. Sasuke's voice had gone rough with want.

"Keep talkin' like that and you can have as many as you want."

Sasuke's laugh filled his head like smoke, one of his hands dipping down to guide Naruto inside him.

"You like my bedroom voice, Naruto?"

"You know I like it."

"I wanna hear you say it," he insisted, moaning into Naruto's other ear as his teeth closed on the lobe and Naruto gave a shallow thrust into him. His hands settled at Sasuke's hips so he could thrust harder.

"I like- no, _fuck_ \- I _love_ your bedroom voice," he said. He shuddered as Sasuke's tongue lapped at his throat, just beneath his jaw, tasting his heartbeat.

"What do you want me to say, Naruto?"

He shook his head, screwing his eyes shut to concentrate. Sasuke's tight heat was overwhelming, stealing his breath and his senses and surely the few shreds of sanity he happened to possess. 

"Tell me... tell me what you want... when we get to the bedroom," he managed between panting breaths. Sasuke chuckled a little, running gentler hands through Naruto's hair now, helping him focus. He started to move again, fast and shallow. 

"Mm... what I want...?" His breath ghosted Naruto's throat. "I want you to mark me everywhere." Naruto shivered, moaning, each thrust deeper than the last. "Ah, _Naruto_...! Want you to leave hickeys up my thighs and smack my ass..." Naruto panted against the shower wall, pressing his forehead to the tiles. "Want you to watch me work myself open while you worship those heels... Want you t-to... _mm_ , Naruto... want you to fuck me slow and hard..." 

Sasuke's breath was going erratic now, too, nails leaving burning lines down Naruto's back.

"Oh god, Sasuke... _Sasuke_...!"

"Naruto...! _N-Naruto_...!"

He kept thrusting even as his orgasm crashed through him, knees nearly giving out beneath him, until Sasuke was coming with a loud moan in his ear, squeezing Naruto tightly from the inside out. For a few moments they just panted into each other's ears. Naruto sank slowly to his knees. Cum dribbled hot and sticky over Naruto's lap as pulled out, making Sasuke's head drop back with a shudder and a sigh. They stayed on the floor to wash each other, tongues brushing and teeth scraping as soap slid slick over their skin. They only separated to wash each other's hair, and even then, they spent as much time as they could gazing into each other's eyes.

They dried sloppily, still a bit damp as they joined hands and lured each other to the bedroom with kisses sweet and promising. Naruto knelt to help Sasuke back into his heels. They glittered like emeralds in the moonlight filtering through the window, and Naruto gave an appreciative kiss to the toe of each.

"I'm gonna give you everything you asked for and then some," he promised, eyes bright with eagerness. Sasuke's teeth glinted in a smirk.

"Well? I'm waiting."

Finally, _finally_ , he got the chance to gnaw on Sasuke's calf, feeling the taut muscles beneath his teeth. Sasuke's knees wobbled, but he stayed upright, holding back a groan with his lower lip caught between his own teeth.

"Make some noise for me, baby...?" Sasuke released a breath he probably didn't mean to be holding, moaning as Naruto dug his nails into his asscheeks and sucked bruises up the insides of his thighs, skirting teasingly around his crotch. "Mm- ah, _Naruto_!- g-god...!" He gave another moan as Naruto's teeth sank into the opposite calf. Naruto reached up and steadied him with a hand to his lower back, chewing his way down to the strap at his ankle. "Naruto..." He licked the strap and pulled back, peering up at Sasuke. He'd bitten his own lip red and swollen, still subconsciously trying to keep in his sounds. _Still can't break that habit. Guess I'll just have to fuck him so hard he stops caring if he's making noise..._

Naruto rose, caressing Sasuke's face and running his tongue along that abused lip. His breath stuttered, cheeks and ears red.

"Get on the bed," he directed. Sasuke nodded, and Naruto smacked his ass as he turned.

"Ah! _Fuck_ , okay, okay..." He rolled onto the bed, rummaging through the nighttable drawer with shaky fingers. He took out a bottle of lube and slathered it over his fingers, turning onto his side. The lubed left hand pressed a finger into his ass from behind while the right dipped between his legs at the front. Naruto was mesmerized, watching his blush grow more vivid as he rubbed his crotch and worked his asshole open with two fingers now. Naruto gave himself a few much-needed strokes. "Usuratonkachi... if you're not gonna touch the shoes then I'm taking them off..."

"I'm gettin' to it, bastard..."

Naruto lifted Sasuke's leg up, wasting no time in wrapping his lips around the heel of his stiletto.

"Ugh... you're not kissing me with that mouth..." He laughed, pulling off and licking his lips.

"I won't kiss you 'til after I brush my teeth, I promise. For now..." Naruto moaned as he took the heel deeper into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. Sasuke made pleasured noises beneath him as he added another finger to his ass and sped up playing with his front. Naruto's hands were all over the shoe, rough palms scraping over them, glitter falling onto the sheets. He pulled off the heel to lick the rest of the sole, cock aching between his legs. "Fuck, Sasuke... need you now..."

"I'm ready..."

Sasuke wiped his hands down with nearby tissues, rolling onto his back. Naruto hitched Sasuke's legs over his thighs, heels knocking against Naruto's ass. Sasuke looked so good spread out beneath him like this, covered in bruises and bite-marks.

"You're so fucking pretty." Sasuke smirked with hooded, lusty eyes.

"You're not too bad yourself." Naruto snickered a little, thumbs running up the length Sasuke's thighs, making him arch beneath him. " _Ah_... fuck me, Naruto..." He lined himself up.

"Don't have to tell me twice..."

They both moaned as Naruto's cock entered him, slow and steady. Sasuke sucked in a breath through his teeth, arms hooking around the pillow beneath his head. 

" _Fuck yes_ , Naruto..." he hissed. Naruto pushed forward until he was buried to the hilt inside him, his ass clenching tight and hot around him. 

"Sasuke... so fucking good for me..." He pulled back, then fucked back into him with his whole body. Sasuke moaned loud and unrestrained.

"Naruto, f-fuck, yes! Again, _please_...!" Naruto smirked through the haze of building pleasure, pulling out again.

"So polite... Keep talkin' sweet to me, Sasuke..." They both moaned as Naruto thrusted in hard.

" _Oh_ , Naruto...!" he cried, eyes shutting. "F-fuck, Naruto, please more, you fuck me so- _ah_...!" Naruto's head tipped back as he found a good rhythm. Sasuke's breath came in heavy pants staggered with Naruto's own. "Naruto... Naruto, please...!" He picked Sasuke's legs up, arms hooked under his knees, letting him get a bit deeper. Sasuke moaned. " _Ah_ , yes, Naruto, just like that! J-just like... ha- _ah_....!" Naruto was so close, he wanted to cry. Sasuke seemed in a similar state, blushing all the way down his chest, tossing his head to the side with a moan. "Naruto... Naruto, _please_... make me come...!" Naruto shifted his angle just a little bit, the hard patter of the rain syncopated with the slapping of flesh, and he felt his lower back tighten as pleasure coiled so tight in his stomach he thought he might implode.

"Sasuke...!" he choked out, voice warped with ecstasy. "Sasuke, _yes_ , Sasuke...!"

He came with a shudder that wracked his whole body, every noise in the room disappearing beneath his own pulse and the moan that escaped from his core. His arms and legs and head buzzed, aftershocks racing icy-hot over his scalp. Sasuke was trembling beneath him when he finally managed opened his eyes again, teetering on the edge, giving a needy whimper. _Shit... I really don't have more in me..._ He pulled out. Sasuke opened his eyes, chest heaving. 

"Naruto, please..." His voice was almost broken. Naruto reached quickly for the lube and poured it over his hands.

"Don't worry, baby. I got you, I got you..." 

Sasuke arched into Naruto's hand as he slid three fingers in right off the bat, scissoring and thrusting inside him. His other hand settled between Sasuke's legs, teasing his entrance and circling the nub that had his voice pitching upward.

"Holy _sh-shit_ , Naruto!" he cried. Naruto slipped a fourth finger in Sasuke's ass. "F-fuck, Naruto, yes...!" His face twisted with pleasure, so close _Naruto_ could feel it. "Talk," he begged. "Talk please, Naruto, call me baby again..." His breaths were getting more erratic. Naruto shivered. _He only gets like this when it's really good... He's coming undone, falling apart in my hands... _

"Oh, baby, you're so sexy," he praised, licking up his inner thigh. "You're doing such a good job, baby, just bear with me another second."

"Naruto!" he called, and he didn't so much speak his name as breathe it. Naruto moved just a little faster, arms burning. Sasuke's breath hitched.

"Yes, baby, that's it. Come for me, baby. Come for me-"  
  


Sasuke's mouth opened but nothing came out, eyes rolling back as he arched. Naruto watched with pupils blown. He could see the muscles in his abdomen contracting rapidly, see the way his legs quaked, the wetness seep out between them to soak Naruto's hands. Naruto worked him through it, gradually slowing his pace. He only stopped when Sasuke was a twitching, breathless mess beneath him. Naruto swallowed at how wet his hands were, at the damp spot on the bed. _Gonna have to change the sheets..._ He used almost half the box of tissues wiping down his hands and dabbing at the spot on the mattress while Sasuke regained his bearings. He pulled out a couple more to wipe the tears and sweat from Sasuke's face.

"Holy shit..." he whispered. Naruto laughed a little.

"Welcome back. Have a good trip?" He blinked sluggishly.

"... holy shit..."

Naruto laughed again, leaning forward for a kiss when Sasuke's hand stopped him.

"You promised you'd brushed your teeth." The words were slurred with exhaustion, but sure enough, he remembered.

"Really grosses you out that much, huh?" His nose wrinkled with disgust.

"S'like licking the _floor_."

"Doesn't taste bad. You should try it." Sasuke slapped his arm with a weak, mostly limp hand.

"Go."

Naruto laughed all the way back to the bathroom, not only brushing his teeth but also swishing around some mouthwash, even though he hated it. When he returned Sasuke was on the floor, naked and barefoot, stripping the bed down.

"I can take care of that."  
"I made the mess, I should clean it up." He sounded half-asleep already. Naruto snorted.

"I'm the one who made you make the mess. I should clean it up." Sasuke snorted back. _Stalemate_. Naruto got a fresh sheet set out of the closet, bundling the old ones into the hamper the best he could. Sasuke helped Naruto put the fitted sheet on, but after that Naruto pushed him away, pointing toward the bathroom. Sasuke shuffled out the door, and Naruto could faintly hear the sounds of him brushing his teeth a few seconds later. By the time he returned, Naruto had finished and was lying there waiting for him. Sasuke practically dove head-first into bed, pressing himself tight to Naruto's chest. Naruto smiled, petting his hair. "Was it good, Sasuke?" Naruto expected a sarcastic answer, but instead he got a nod and a muffled "mm-hm". He smiled even wider. "You tired, baby?"  
"Mm-hm." He pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"Go to sleep, then." He mumbled something back that Naruto didn't catch. He shifted, tilting Sasuke's face toward him. "Say what?"

"I said I would if you'd shut the fuck up."

Naruto cackled, making Sasuke squint grumpily.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Just struck me funny." Sasuke's eyes narrowed to itty bitty slits.

"You're weird," he muttered, leaning forward to give him a kiss anyway. "Good night. Don't wake me up."

"Alright, I won't. Love you, baby."

"Love you, too."


	7. Black Latex

Sasuke drove to work that day, because Naruto was far too distracted to do it himself.

He really couldn't be blamed. Sasuke was wearing his absolute favorite outfit. Black catsuit with thigh-high boots. All latex, all shiny and form-fitting, showing off every curve and angle of his body without showing any skin at all. He'd drawn dramatic eyeliner reminiscent of a cheetah, trailing partway down his nose on the inside and flaring into a sharp wing on the outside. He hadn't painted his lips yet, but Naruto knew they'd be a matte black. Black rose earrings with silver chains dangled from his lobes. 

They arrived significantly early, even earlier than usual. Naruto needed to run up to the fourth floor offices. He told Sasuke it was a payroll issue, but that was a lie. He kissed Sasuke goodbye as they parted on the second floor. Sasuke walked in, intent on dinner and a drink before he went up to the third floor. Naruto smiled all the way up the stairs, knocking on the door to Shikamaru's office.

"Come in!"

"Shikamaru! Wassup, man?" Shikamaru held up a fist for Naruto to bump before he sank into the chair across from him.

"Not much. Beating my head against the wall crunching numbers. You?" Naruto shrugged, still smiling way too wide.

"Same old, same old. Listen, I know Nightshade doesn't get vacation days, but our anniversary is coming up and I wanna take a few days off with them for a trip. Can you arrange coverage?" 

"How soon?"

"It's next month. I was thinkin' the twenty-fifth through the twenty-ninth?"

Shikamaru nodded, clicking around on his computer.

"Assuming the new staff we're bringing on board work out, yes, I can have both of you covered."

"Yes!" Naruto cried, much too enthusiastically, he knew. Shikamaru shook his head, though his lips twitched into a smile.

"Where are you going?"  
"Oh no, no way. It's a surprise. Nightshade doesn't even know yet."  
"Aw, that's cute. And disgusting. Actually, get outta my sight." He waved Naruto away, and Naruto cackled.

"You're just jealous." Shikamaru smirked.

"Hm. Relationships are troublesome." He waved Naruto away again. "For real, though, I'm working on something and have to concentrate. Unless you have something else for me?"

"Nope, we're good! Thanks, Shika!"

"No worries, Naruto. You're both good employees, you deserve some time off."

"Thanks, we do our best! See ya later!"  
"See ya."

Naruto all but bounced down the stairs, stopping confusedly on the third floor landing as Sasuke came up from the second floor.

"Don't move," he growled. Naruto raised a brow.

"What's wrong? Why are you so mad?"  
"Just stay there!" Naruto debated whether he wanted to listen or not. _I might miss something juicy if I stay, though. Sasuke usually has a pretty good grip on his rage, so it's gotta be good if he's this riled up, especially at work. I'm going in._

He followed Sasuke, and immediately realized why that was a bad decision. Anko was showing around two new employees. Naruto recognized them both immediately. Unfortunately Sasuke did, too.  
"Okay. Okay, shit, okay. Um, Sasuke, don't-"

Too late. Their heads turned as Anko pointed to something in their direction, and all eyes widened.

"Sasu- I mean, Night-"

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?!" he demanded, stomping up to them, not even hearing Naruto speak. Naruto trailed hot on his heels, even as his stomach twisted with dread the closer he got.

"Hey, be nice! These are your new colleagues!" Anko admonished. Sasuke wheeled on her.

"Stay out of it!" he snarled, whipping back toward the other two as one reached a hand toward Naruto. "I dare you to fucking touch him. Just fucking _try_."

"Nightshade-" Naruto shook his head and waved his hands, and Anko was smart enough to know when to step down. She was definitely unhappy about it, though. "I don't get paid nearly enough for this shit. Where are the fuck are the managers?"

Sasuke, meanwhile, was staring down the two of them entirely on his own. The blonde one (the much bigger of the two) cocked her hip to the side and folded her arms over her chest. She was built like a brick house, making Sasuke seem scrawny in comparison. Naruto was scared for her. _He'll rip her to shreds. I can't handle batshit Sasuke right now._ _Please don't pick a fight, please don't pick a fight-_

"Listen, kid, we don't want any trouble. We just want jobs like anybody-"  
"I don't give a damn about you!" he spat. The blonde one clamped her mouth shut, looking pissed. "It's _you_ I want answers from," he continued, pointing to the shorter of the two. The redhead with icy blue eyes Naruto would know absolutely anywhere. He felt his breath coming harsher, head spinning, and he took a subconscious step back just to create some distance. Sasuke slid into place between them, shielding Naruto.

"I didn't know either of you worked here," they replied evenly, voice in a much higher register than Naruto remembered but still using the same inflection, the same meter and cadence. "I just need a job-"  
"Then you can go somewhere else," Sasuke hissed.

"Hey, there's no need to be so hostile-"

"Who the fuck even are you?" he demanded, turning back to the blonde. Her lip peeled back in the beginnings of a snarl.

"I'm her big sister. Now back the fuck down before I make you."

"I'm not fucking scared of you. This is _our_ turf. She's not welcome here."   
"And why the fuck is that?"

"Because she hurt my boyfriend." The redhead looked to Naruto now, eyes pleading.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I've changed since then. Please let me make it up to-"

"Oh, I think the fuck _not_ you narcissistic bitch," Sasuke cut in, and Naruto couldn't see his eyes but he knew they were ablaze with fury.   
"Sasuke-"  
"Don't use my government name here!" he snapped. "And don't you _dare_ try to weasel your way back into Naruto's life. You so much as _breathe_ too close to him and I'll rend you limb from limb. Understood?"

"Jesus, Gaara, what the hell did you _do_?" the sister asked. Gaara sighed.

"It's a long story-"

"No, actually, it's very short," Sasuke interrupted again. "Once upon a time, Naruto and Gaara dated. And for two full years, Naruto cried on my shoulder about the absolute fuck-shit Gaara put him through. I promised him I'd keep him safe, that I'd never let him hurt like that again." His gaze flickered back to Gaara. "And I fully intend to keep that promise."

Gaara raised her hands in surrender.

"I have no desire to make things worse. I just need a job."

It was at that moment Shikamaru arrived on the scene, immediately separating everyone. 

"Alright, alright, none of that. What's going on?" Naruto wrapped an arm around Sasuke and pulled him back. He was so angry, Naruto could feel it vibrating beneath his skin.

"You need to calm down," he whispered. Sasuke shrugged him off.

"I'll calm down when I get some assurance that this abusive piece of shit is gonna keep her distance."

He said it loud enough that everyone could hear, including Gaara. She flinched, as if the words physically pained her, and Naruto found himself pitying her despite the pain that bloomed in his chest over and over as he remembered the things she'd done. _I thought I was over all this. Why am I feeling so mixed up now? Who... who is this person? She doesn't seem anything like the Gaara who dumped me all those years ago. That Gaara would never have flinched like that, would never have raised hands in surrender, would never have... worked as a stripper, either. What's going on here...?_

"Okay," Shikamaru said, and Naruto could tell just by his tone he was in Solve the Problem mode, "Nightshade, you stay at your usual station. Ruby West, you'll be at the open station on the other side of the room." Sasuke snorted at her choice of name. _Well, she's never exactly been the creative type..._ "You won't even be within each other's line of sight. Naruto, you'll be at the door indefinitely. Temari, you'll be on the move on this floor so you can keep an eye on everyone. Tenten will patrol downstairs with Kiba. Sound good?" It did not, in fact, sound good, but it was the best they could get in this situation. "Alright. Now go get ready for your shifts." Shikamaru carefully backed out, still keeping an eye on them as he edged toward the door.

For a moment, the four of them lingered, eying one another. Tension hung heavy in the air, and Sasuke still radiated a murderous aura that had Naruto's voice caught in his throat. Temari was the one who broke it all, snorting.

"Well, I'm off. Don't skin each other." With that, she brushed past, heading for the bar. Naruto tugged on Sasuke's wrist, practically dragging him away.

"How are you not angry?!" he hissed once they made it to the security podium, boxing Naruto in against the wall. 

"I... I don't know, okay. I just wanna get through shift and go home." Sasuke glared, unconvinced. "I dunno. She seems sincere-"  
"She doesn't deserve your forgiveness or your pity. She hurt you, Naruto. Bad. And if the world worked the way I wished it did, she'd be dead already." Naruto's throat twisted into a knot.

"B-but, what if she's changed? What if she-"

"People _don't_ fucking change." His voice was an angry snarl, but his eyes held only hurt. "They don't change. They either learn to live with their demons, or they become them. Those are the only options." Naruto swallowed. This was a sore subject for them, and not one they should be discussing in any kind of public setting. His lowered his voice drastically, hoping Sasuke would follow suit.

"You changed." He bared his teeth and ground them so hard Naruto's own jaw ached.

"I didn't change, Naruto," he replied in the same low tone. "I just learned to deal with it. I learned to hide it. If I'd really changed, would I still have so much rage?" Naruto swallowed again. He didn't know what to say. Sasuke forced a ragged breath. "Deep down, I'm still just an angry child who wants to watch the world burn. I'm still the same person you've always known, just quieter about it as I get older." He turned toward Naruto, and now his face was made of stone. "Wake up, Naruto. Drop the rose-colored glasses and take a fucking look. I can't be with someone who refuses to acknowledge reality."

Naruto wanted to tell him he was wrong. He wanted to say that Sasuke had healed and changed and that he was making such good progress, this was just reopening an old wound, that they could stitch it back together again. He wanted to remind Sasuke that he had watched Naruto grow all those years and that _he_ had changed, too, but his throat just twisted again and this time he couldn't choke the words out. Doubt formed a double helix and pulled so tight, Naruto could feel the cords in his neck freeze. 

_Because what if?_

What if Sasuke was right? What if no one changed after all? What if Naruto had merely constructed a world around himself where he didn't need to face his demons head-on anymore? What if he had used Sasuke and his job and his friends as cushions to ease the force of his own inadequacies? Left to his own devices, would Naruto revert back to the way he was as a child? Would he become touch-starved and lonely? Would his fear of abandonment flash back up to the surface to burn his skin from the inside out? 

His stomach flipped at the mere sight of Sasuke walking away. It felt too much like he was leaving, and sure as shit, his heart was seized by the horrifying realization that if Sasuke left he would _fall the fuck apart_. That would be it. He would never really recover, even if he did manage to build a stronger mask with a bigger smile to hide behind. It scared him. It scared him so much that he ran and took hold of Sasuke's wrist, spinning him around and capturing his lips in a kiss so desperate he could feel the heat of tears prickling under his skin, threatening to fall. 

Sasuke didn't pull away. He leaned into Naruto, running a hand through his hair, grabbing his wrist back. 

"C'mon," he whispered, tugging Naruto's hand.

He wasn't even paying attention to where they were going. Next thing he knew, Sasuke was shutting a door behind them and they were plunged into a darkness so thick he couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. _He always prefers to speak in the dark, so he doesn't have to see the way my face changes..._

"I love you. You know I love you, don't you?" he asked urgently, his grip on Naruto's wrist tightening as his back hit the wall.

"Yes," he replied, because that's right, Sasuke did love him, he knew that, of course he did-

"Do you understand what I meant when I said that to you?" He nodded, and then he realized that Sasuke probably couldn't see either so he choked out another, "yes." He felt Sasuke's arms circle his shoulders. "I'm not leaving you. I need you to understand that."

"Yeah," he breathed, embracing him back. "Yeah, I know. I... You made your point."

"That wasn't how I wanted to make it. I didn't realize what that must have looked like to you."

Naruto was going to answer, but then their bodies were pressed together and Sasuke was the one initiating a desperate kiss, and he forgot any words he might have wanted to say.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know." Tears fell anyway, and Sasuke knew without Naruto even making a sound. Sasuke wiped them away with his thumbs.

"I'm sorry," and he pressed a kiss to Naruto's jaw. "I'm sorry," and this was said into the tender skin of his throat. Sasuke stopped saying the words, but Naruto felt it in the ways he kissed down his body, in the gentle caresses of his hands: _I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry_. He knew exactly what Sasuke intended to do, and he had no intention of stopping him. They always spoke better in actions than words, always responded better to physical than verbal assurances. Naruto wasn't surprised when his fly came down, but he gasped a little when Sasuke cupped his genitals in his hands as if they were a sip of fresh water in a desert. There was only one thing he wanted before the inevitable. 

"Sasuke," he called softly. 

"Yes, love."

"I wanna see you." A brief pause.

"Where's your phone?"

Naruto couldn't honestly remember, but Sasuke didn't wait for him to answer anyway, his fingers poking into all of his pockets until he found it in Naruto's jacket, which he still hadn't taken off. Sasuke resolved that as well, letting it drop to the floor. The flashlight on Naruto's phone turned on, blinding them both momentarily, until Sasuke managed to find a shelf to set it on. They were in a sizable supply closet, the one Naruto knew held supplies only the morning crews used. No chance of anyone finding them. Even so, Naruto noticed Sasuke had wedged a broom in the door handle.

His eyes wandered back down to Sasuke as he shifted on his knees, once more taking hold of Naruto in his hands. He looked otherworldly, latex rippling oily in the light. His tongue glistened as it swiped over the head of his cock, his eyes like shards of obsidian as they drifted up to Naruto's face. He whimpered as Sasuke took his cock in his mouth, slow and soft. He couldn't take his eyes off Sasuke. He reached down and threaded his fingers through his hair if only to remind himself he was real. _He's real, he's here, it's okay..._

He moaned as Sasuke sucked and swirled his tongue, and Sasuke moaned back, the vibration traveling all the way up his spine.

"Sasuke..." He gazed up at Naruto from beneath his lashes in a way he _knew_ made Naruto's toes curl, and another moan escaped him.

"Usuratonkachi... we'll get caught if you don't shut up..." A shiver skittered across his skin. Suddenly Sasuke's habit of biting his lip became Naruto's, a whimper still pushing past it as Sasuke took him in deeper. Sasuke hummed around him, making his knees go weak. Naruto's nails bit into his scalp. It did nothing to discourage him; if anything, it encouraged him, head bobbing along Naruto's cock. Naruto squirmed.

"Sasu... _mmph_...ah!"

Naruto's breaths came harsher. The sounds of Sasuke giving head made a violent blush bloom across his cheeks. His fingers flexed against an abused scalp and hair like the finest silk. Sasuke's gaze was hot, lingering heavily on Naruto's face, and he felt himself spiraling downward into the twin voids of Sasuke's eyes.

His final moan was deep, rumbling through both their bodies. Sasuke drank him in like a nepenthe. Naruto inhaled the obscene slurping noise of Sasuke's lips popping free and exhaled it as a whimper, undignified, needier than any sound he'd made before his climax. He all but crumpled to the ground, right into Sasuke's waiting arms. He tucked Naruto back into his pants and hung his jacket back on his shoulders before he hugged Naruto hard and strong. Naruto, who was crying again for reasons he didn't fully understand but Sasuke knew exactly how to console.

"I'll protect you," he said, cradling Naruto's head against his chest. "I'm here, Naruto." And Naruto nodded, clinging to Sasuke until he could breathe again.

Sasuke covered swollen lips with black lipstick and Naruto dulled the swelling of his eyes with water so ice-cold it made his teeth chatter on contact. They left the bathroom they'd taken refuge in after they left the supply closet looking better than they'd arrived. Naruto took up his post right on time, and Sasuke hopped easily onto his station to begin his first routine of the night as Naruto started letting patrons in. Naruto was still shaken, and he knew Sasuke would want to talk more when they got home. For now, though, he was comforted in the truth of Sasuke's devotion. _He won't leave me. He never has and never will._ Sasuke confirmed it with every smirk, wink, and hair-flip sent his way. _I always have Sasuke. We'll get through this..._


	8. The Ice Queen

Sasuke had often been called "Ice Princess" in high school. Naruto had never understood it. Sasuke was one of the most emotionally intense people he knew. He was less icy, and more armored. It was meant to protect himself and others from the volatile rage that threatened to spill out. That veneer of coldness that could turn bone to ice was not so much directed at other people as inward, trying to smother the flames inside him. Another duality, but this time an unpleasant one, as that cold gaze was now directed straight at Naruto.

He was pacing around the kitchen on one side of the table. Sasuke was on the other, leaning with his back against the counter and arms folded. Naruto felt like he was trying to glare a hole in his forehead. As it turned out, putting off talking until the day after did _not_ make things better; if anything, it had given them both more time to simmer in unhappy feelings. Especially when they both woke up to Naruto's phone pinging with a message from Gaara herself, the very subject of their current ire.

"I don't see why you're so upset," Naruto said, scratching at the back of his head. "It would just be to talk."

"What do you have to talk about? She hurt you, the damage is done, the end."

"I wanna hear her out, bastard!"  
"She hasn't changed," he continued in an aggravatingly unaffected tone, as if Naruto hadn't spoken at all, and that stoked the rage starting to build in him. It took a _lot_ to make Naruto angry, but Sasuke knew all the right buttons to push. "She's just gotten better at dealing with it. Do you really need a person like that?"

"Of course not!" he snapped. "This isn't about needing her or not needing her! This about me getting closure!"

"You got closure the day she dumped you."

"No, I didn't!" he barked, scratching at his head even harder. "I didn't get any fucking answers, Sasuke! Why? Why me? Why us? I have a right to know!"

"Because life isn't fair. Move on." 

Naruto's hands formed fists. He wanted to knock the teeth right out of that stony expression. 

"You don't get to tell me to move on. You, of all people, don't get to do that," he hissed. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"This isn't about me," he said, and for just a moment Naruto thought he heard a twinge of emotion, but it died instantly. Killed. "I'm trying to help you avoid the mistakes I made. Let it go. Move on."

"No! I want closure! I want answers! Who are you to deny me that?"

"Someone who actually fucking cares about you."

Naruto definitely didn't imagine the way he growled out those words.

"Don't do that. Don't you _dare_ fucking do that!"

"Do what?" he demanded through gritted teeth.

"Don't act like you're the only person who cares about me!"

"Well, she certainly doesn't!" he snapped, fire in his eyes for just a moment. He took a breath to steady himself. "She's not doing this for you. It's for her. She's selfish. She will _always_ be selfish. Why do you think she's doing this?"

"Because she's changed and she wants to apologize."

"To make you feel better, or to make herself feel better?" Naruto faltered.

"There's no way for me to know that!"

"You know her. What do _you_ think?"

Naruto faltered a second time. The gnawing feeling in his belly told him he knew the answer- _for her_ \- but he refused to do anything but give her the benefit of the doubt. _Everyone deserves a chance to get things right..._

"It doesn't matter if it's for her or for me. Even if it is for her, doesn't that mean she feels bad about it? The Gaara we knew didn't feel things like remorse or guilt, so if she feels them now that must mean something, right?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Tch. Fuck this." He sat up from the counter.

"Hey!" Naruto squawked. "Where are you going?"  
"Outside. Am I allowed to sit outside?" he snapped, grabbing his jacket.

"See, you always do this! Why are you running away from this?!" He set a glare fit to kill on Naruto, but he refused to back down.

"I'm _not_ running away," he snarled. "You've already made your decision. You're gonna do whatever the hell you want no matter what I say, so why bother talking? Go. Go have your stupid little talk and get your heart broken. I'll be here to pick up the pieces, like I _always_ am, because that's all I'm good for to you, isn't it?"

Naruto's mouth fell open.

" _Excuse me_?!" Sasuke's hand paused on the handle to the back door, turning back toward Naruto.

"Did I fucking stutter?"  
"Sasuke, you keep your ass inside and fucking talk to me!" Naruto demanded.

"Why? I'm not the one you want right now. Go. Go talk to _her_." He spit the word like venom. Naruto bristled, anger washing hot through his body.

"What the fuck are you implying?" He paused again, halfway out the door.

"What the fuck _would I_ be implying, Naruto?"

"I dunno, that's why I fucking asked, genius!"

Sasuke slammed the door shut and leaned back against it.

"I'm not implying _anything_ ," he growled. "You wanna talk to her, go talk to her. Try to get whatever it is you think she can give you. And when you're done, I'll be here. Like I always am, like I've always _been_. And I will stitch your wounds and knead your scars and bandage all your broken emotions, and I won't even say I told you so. Because _I care about you_. Go ahead, act like it's none of my business that you wanna waste time with people who couldn't give two shits about you only to turn around and expect me to clean up the mess. That's _really_ why you chose me instead of Gaara, isn't it? I clean up more messes than I cause." Naruto's throat twisted.

"Is that really what you think? That I only keep you around to run damage control?" Sasuke blinked with a false impassiveness that made Naruto want to claw his own face off.

"Isn't that what I always end up doing? I see no other use for me."

"Have you considered the fact that I care about you, too?!" he screeched. "What about all the times I stitched _your_ wounds and kneaded _your_ scars and bandaged up _your_ broken emotions, huh?"

"I never asked you to do that!" His voice rang loud against the walls. "I never came crawling to you with tears in my eyes and begged for your help! But every time _you_ fuck up, you come to me groveling! That's the difference between us!"

"Are you saying I'm _weak_?!" Naruto laughed mirthlessly. "It sure as hell _sounds_ like you're saying I'm weak. At least I don't pretend I don't have feelings! At least I don't hide everything behind anger or coldness!" Sasuke merely blinked, and it felt so mocking, Naruto's vision nearly blacked out. " _At least I'm not an Ice Princess like you_!"

Sasuke went rigid, and Naruto knew immediately he fucked up big. The silence was sharp as his eyes. Naruto stammered, knowing he should rectify this but also more than aware it was far too late. The words were said, and he couldn't take them back. Sasuke's mouth finally opened.

"That's Ice _Queen_ to you, motherfucker."

He punctuated this with the metallic slap of the screen door and the back door slamming shut so hard, the whole house seemed to rattle.

-

Naruto knew, deep down, that Sasuke was right and this was a bad idea, but he had to do it. For himself, if nothing else. He had to know.

He was waiting in a café midway between their apartments. Neither of them knew where the other lived, just the general neighborhood. He didn't normally drink coffee, but caffeine always had a strange way of calming his nerves rather than winding them up further, so he today he drank it. He was so nervous, he'd gotten there even earlier than he intended. The waitress seemed to be under the impression he was getting stood up for a date. He didn't care enough to tell her otherwise, just let her refill his cup and ordered some toast. Maybe that would settle his stomach, which seemed just as upset about him doing this as his heart, which hadn't stopped pounding since he woke up at the ass crack of dawn this morning. His hand itched to grab his phone and text Sasuke, but he was still mad. Besides, there was nothing to text him about. Nothing had even happened yet.

The bell above the door chimed. A petite redhead walked in, pale blue eyes finding his across the café. He swallowed. She still walked the same, like a predator about to strike, and seeing her coming his way like this made him want to bolt. He held his ground, though, nodding to her in greeting. She nodded back, hesitating as she went to sit down.

"May I?" He didn't know Gaara to hesitate _ever_ , but now she'd hesitated both times he'd seen her. _She's... very different from the person I remember..._ He nodded, and she sank gratefully into her seat, clasping her hands on the table. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. It means a lot." He swallowed again, looking down at his coffee as he brought the mug up to his lips, feeling as if he were moving in slow-motion.

"Well, you know me. Everyone deserves a chance, right?" She smiled. He remembered that smile well. The chance to see it was one of the few things that had kept him around so long, back when they were dating. It was disarming and cute, and a little nervous. But his feelings didn't rise in response. There was... nothing. _My feelings toward her are entirely dead,_ he realized slowly as she ordered her own coffee. _It's so different from how I felt the other night. I don't... feel threatened at all. She's just... a person..._

"So, Naruto... how would you like this to go?" she asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He shifted in his seat.

"You said you've changed. A lot must have happened in the last six years." It wasn't a direct answer, but the Gaara he knew rarely spoke directly. It was always the things not said that had to be listened to most. Evidently that was something that hadn't changed; she picked up on it immediately.

"Wow. Six years already." 

"Nearly seven," he added, remembering that his and Sasuke's anniversary was coming up. _Assuming Sasuke and I make it to that anniversary..._ She nodded, thanking the waitress softly as she dropped her coffee.

"Nearly seven," she agreed. "Well... I've been up to a lot."  
"New job." She chuckled a little.

"Yes, well... I thought it might be good for me to work for once. I need... real-world experience." Naruto nodded. _I wonder if working for her father didn't work out as she'd hoped..._ "What else... I got sober. It's been... five years now, I think."

He nodded. _Suspected as much. She doesn't seem... like she was then, to say the least._

"Congratulations." He wasn't sure if he actually meant it or not.

"And... well... this," she said, gesturing vaguely to her body. Naruto nodded.

"You're still recognizable." 

"Well, I'm still _me_. Just... expressed in a different way." Naruto nodded his agreement again.

"It suits you." Her cheeks turned the very slightest bit pink. 

"Thank you. You look well yourself." He nodded, finishing his coffee.

"I've been treated well these last few years."

Her expression darkened. She knew what that meant, too.

"Listen, Naruto... there's no excuse for the way I treated you. Nothing will ever make up for that. I don't expect your forgiveness, I'm not entitled to it. I just... want you to know I'm a different person now. I won't hurt you again, and I won't interfere with you and Sasuke." He nodded a few times. There was no way of knowing whether she was lying or not- she'd always been good at it and Naruto had never learned her tells (if she even had any)- but... in this moment, she seemed sincere. "I'm... I'm sorry, Naruto. You didn't deserve anything I put you through." He nodded, mostly because he didn't know how else to respond. Sasuke was the one who reassured him he didn't deserve it all these years, that he wasn't a bad person for being abused, but to hear it from the person who hurt him was... different. That acknowledgement alone made something inside him feel just a little bit lighter.

"Thank you, Gaara. That means a lot."

A few moments passed in silence. They weren't comfortable, but they weren't horrible either. Naruto spent the whole time staring into his empty mug.

"There's something I want to know," he said at last. Gaara nodded.

"Of course. Anything."

"Why?" She took a deep breath.

"The truth?" He nodded, steeling himself.

"Because you were vulnerable."

It stung. It was one thing to think it and another thing to _know_ it. _I suppose Sasuke was right all this time..._ She sipped her coffee- black, the same way Sasuke took his- and set her mug back down.

"You were starved for love. You'd take whatever scraps of affection I gave you, and you were so afraid of being abandoned that no matter how poorly I treated you in between, I knew you wouldn't leave." She swallowed, hard. "It was easy to vent my frustrations on you because I knew you'd let me. There wouldn't be a fight. It made me feel good to hurt you." She scrunched her eyes shut in a way Naruto knew meant she was holding back tears. He waited for her to get control over herself again. "I... I hated myself so much, and I didn't know how to deal with it. The only thing I knew how to do was make someone else feel the pain I felt." She took another deep breath. "It's a reason, not an excuse. What I did was wrong. I'm sorry."

He nodded. _It's all as I suspected. I just needed to know for sure..._

"Thank you, Gaara. I... I needed to hear that." She nodded back. Naruto had nothing left to say, so he dug his wallet out of his pocket and set enough money down on the table to cover both of them plus the tip. 

"Oh, Naruto, you don't have to-"

"You just started working, you haven't gotten paid yet. I got it." She pursed her lips and nodded.

"Thanks," she said softly. He nodded back, rising from the table.

Walking out of that café left a part of his past behind him he never anticipated getting closure on. It was good, but it hurt, too. It hurt so much he could hardly bear it. Knowing that all he was to her then was a walking target, a pincushion for her to shove needle after needle inside of, made him want to scream. But at least he knew for sure now. _Just a reopening of wounds,_ he reminded himself. _It'll take time, sure, but they can be stitched back together and healed again-_ Still, the second he got into his car, he started to cry. He folded his arms on the steering wheel, hung his head, and bawled like an infant. It was the final step for Naruto in letting go. Once he cried about it, he'd be fine. _I got what I needed. I know now, and I can put it all behind me. It only hurts for a second..._

As soon as he was done, he drove straight to work. He wasn't sure how Sasuke would get there, but he was sure he'd find a way. He knew going back home right now would just make for an explosive car ride, and he wasn't emotionally up for that at the moment. _I know I'm the one who fucked up there, calling him that name, but ..._ Naruto stomped up the stairs, pausing in the doorway to the third floor. Sasuke was already there, idly scrolling on his phone at the bar. Naruto's eyes widened. _Oh no..._

Sasuke was dressed all in white. White leotard, slitted white skirt, sheer white tights, white heels. A sheer cape hung from his shoulders, blue and silver and purple. He had painted his face white, lips a deathly blue. His eyes shifted toward Naruto as he approached, and Naruto realized he was wearing blue contacts. He'd even dusted silver glitter in his hair.

"Y-Your Majesty," Naruto teased nervously. Sasuke rolled his eyes, sipping at his drink. "May I have a private audience with the Queen?"  
"I'd sooner behead you." Naruto swallowed.

"Ah..."

"Don't you have a redheaded wench to tend?" he asked coldly. Naruto swallowed again. _I'm so dead..._

"We already met." He raised a brow.

"Oh?" he asked with mild interest, swirling his drink in his hand.

"Yeah."

Naruto slowly sat in the stool next to Sasuke. He didn't so much as bat an eye. _I'm playing a dangerous game right now..._

"It went well," he continued. Sasuke sniffed. "She really did seem sorry. I... I'm not sure I _forgive_ her yet, but I got the answers I needed. Now I can-"

"Are you quite finished?" he asked abruptly. Naruto swallowed again.

"Ah... don't you wanna, um... talk?"

It was odd being met with irises so pale they almost appeared white, but it was especially odd given they were set inside Sasuke's face. It was throwing Naruto off.

"Not particularly."  
"Oh. Um... when we get home, then?" Sasuke didn't answer, just finished his drink. "Anyway, uh... what's with the get-up?" Sasuke's gaze could have cut glass. 

"How soon we forget." He gestured to the bartender for another drink.

"Should you really be doing that before a shift?"

"Mind your own business." Another swallow. He said the words as casually as someone else might comment on the weather, but Naruto could sense the hostility. 

"Uh-"

"You're boring me." He waved Naruto away. "Begone, thot."

His eyes snapped open so wide and so fast, it might have actually made a noise.

" _Excuse me_?!" he squeaked. Sasuke's gaze, chilly and impassive, settled on his face, unwavering.

"The Ice Queen tires of your presence. Be. Gone." _Oh, so that's what this is all about-_

"Where's your crown, then?"  
"Crowns are tacky. Much like orange tracksuits." Naruto pretended not to wince at that.

"That's a bit of a low blow."

"And saying what you said wasn't?"

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Sasuke downed his drink, slapped money on the counter, and promptly walked away before he could. _I'm in so much fucking trouble..._

He was tense the whole shift. He hardly spoke to anyone despite being the patroller. He avoided eye contact with Nightshade and Ruby West, and for good measure did little more than flash skittish smiles at the other dancers. It was thankfully a quiet night, little work for him, nothing to get his anxiety soaring higher. Naruto froze as Nightshade approached at the end of the night, their expression thoroughly inscrutable.

"Drive me home," they commanded in a low voice as they passed, making Naruto shiver. _Was that supposed to be sexy or threatening?_ He decided not to dwell on it, locking up and leaving with Nightshade. 

The car ride home was unnervingly quiet. When they got in, Sasuke went straight for the bathroom. Naruto crept down the hall, peeking in. He was wiping the makeup off his face as calmly as ever, but Naruto could tell by the shade of red his skin was turning underneath that he was scrubbing unnecessarily hard. Sasuke shot him a stink eye, but otherwise continued going about his task.

"Can we talk now?" Naruto asked tentatively. Another withering look.

"What's there to talk about?" he sniffed. Naruto deflated.

"I'm sorry. I fucked up. I should never have called you that name, I know how much you hate it-"

He was cut off by a laugh that sliced the air. Sasuke smiled, but there was nothing in his face.

"Do you, now? You really know how much I hate it? I would have thought you didn't considering how easily it came out."

"Sasuke, please don't be like this-"

"Like what, Naruto?" he demanded. "Angry? Tch. I've been angry since I was seven years old. Good luck changing that."

"Sasuke, I'm sorry. I really am. I know I fucked up."

The seconds between them ticked by. _Maybe he's going to be merciful. Please, Sasuke, let's not drag this out-_

"So what happened at your date?" _Damn it..._ Naruto didn't take the bait.

"I told you, it went well. I got the answers I needed. I have closure."

"So you won't be seeing her anymore?"  
"Why are you phrasing it like I'm cheating on you?" His brows knit together, and some intense emotion flashed through his eyes too quickly for Naruto to read it.

"I'm not." He finally turned to face Naruto. "Is there something I should know?"  
"No!" he cried. "No. Nothing happened. I asked questions, I got answers, I cried in the car. The end."

Sasuke softened a little, returning to the mirror to wipe more makeup off his neck. 

"I'm not giving her another chance, Sasuke," he said, and it came out so soft he wasn't sure if he'd be able to hear it. He twitched, though, and Naruto knew he had. "That's what you're afraid of, right? That I'd betray you to give her another chance?" Sasuke's jaw tightened in a way Naruto recognized immediately. He stepped into the bathroom at last. "It's not happening. Ever. She's never getting another shot. _No one_ will ever get a shot with me. So if that's what you've been worried about this whole time..."

Naruto caught the tears as they started to fall from Sasuke's eyes. He closed them and started to move toward the shower, but Naruto stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

"Don't turn away," he chided. Sasuke sniffed and his lower lip wobbled. "Oh, honey..." He wrapped Sasuke in a tight embrace, and he kicked off his heels so he could rest his head on Naruto's shoulder. Sasuke was never loud about it, never, but it was almost worse that way. Naruto was sensitive to every little shudder, every tiny sniff, every sob that got quashed with a swallow before it could leave his mouth. The only thing obvious about Sasuke when he cried was the way his face twisted in agony, and that was why he hid on Naruto's shoulder or in the crook of his neck. "You're the only one for me, Sasuke, you know that. You never have to worry about me betraying you. I never will." A small noise finally escaped him, and he all but sagged into Naruto, gripping hard at the back of his shirt. 

It couldn't have been long that they stood that way. Sasuke always roped himself in rather quickly. He immediately rubbed cold water on his face. Naruto picked up a towel and dried it. Sasuke allowed him to. Naruto unclasped his cape from his shoulders, and Sasuke didn't stop him then either, understanding transferred in gentle touches and soft gazes. Naruto got them both undressed and herded Sasuke into the shower. They washed separately save for their hair, washing each other's and kissing in between lathers. They were silent now not as a punishment, but as a reconciliation. 

They left the light off in the bedroom. Sasuke laid beneath Naruto as if they'd discussed this beforehand, and Naruto could tell by the way he looked at him he knew exactly what was coming next, but there was a hesitancy in the pressed line of his mouth. Naruto quirked his head to the side.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered, voice still raw from crying. Naruto blinked, surprised.

"Why are _you_ sorry?" He reached up and cupped Naruto's face, training his focus on his fingertips along Naruto's cheek so he wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

"I shouldn't have discouraged you from talking to her. That was my fear talking. It's not right to keep you from something you clearly needed." Naruto sat back, considering his words.

"I understand why, though. You were trying to protect me. And us." He drew invisible shapes on Sasuke's chest. "I'm sorry I called you that name. I'm sorry I got combative instead of trying to understand where you were coming from." Sasuke smiled fondly.

"We're both idiots," he sighed. Naruto laughed.

"It's unfortunate, but it can't be helped."

They melted into a kiss, arms wrapping around one another. Sasuke leaned, and Naruto followed. They laid on their sides, facing one another, and Sasuke slung one leg over Naruto's hip while reaching back in the opposite direction to rummage through the nighttable drawer.

"How are you so fucking flexible?" he asked, pressing a kiss to his chest.

"It's a gift." Naruto laughed, and Sasuke gave an amused snort. He purred a little, though, as Sasuke rolled a condom over him. He looked at Naruto with hooded eyes as he guided him inside, toes curling at the slow entry. Naruto couldn't get the entire thing in at this angle, but it was more than enough to make them both shiver. Their mouths fitted together in another kiss, tongues swirling, and their fingers wove into each other's hair. Naruto kept a slow, sweet pace, and Sasuke moved his hips to meet his thrusts. Each touch was an apology and acceptance. Naruto moaned as Sasuke tugged the hairs at the back of his neck. Sasuke moaned back as Naruto nibbled his ear.

"Sasuke..."

"Naruto..."

Their orgasm rolled through them in waves. They breathed each other's air and dug nails into each other's backs, moans intermingled. Naruto pressed kisses to Sasuke's damp skin, and Sasuke massaged circles into Naruto's back in return. They came to rest with their foreheads pressed together, nuzzling noses.

"I love you," Sasuke breathed. Naruto smiled against his lips.

"I love you, too."


	9. Fishnets and Black Latex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i barely proofread this, i'll apologize tomorrow lol

They had made up, but they were both still a bit unsettled.

Naruto was still processing his feelings a little, not really sure what he felt. Sasuke was still mad, clearly, but not at Naruto. Sasuke’s restless sleep had woken Naruto several times, leaving them both tired. Naruto became despondent, Sasuke snappish, and they spent far more of their waking hours that day away from each other than Naruto would have liked. He managed to catch a nap on the couch for a while, but it was interrupted by a stream of curses from the bathroom as Sasuke wiped off all his makeup and stomped back out to the bedroom, changing his entire outfit not once, not even twice, but three times before he was something resembling satisfied.  _ I hope Gaara doesn’t start any shit with him today. If there’s a time for him to snap, it’s now,  _ Naruto thought over the alternative rock blaring soft between them in the car. Sasuke seemed lost in his own thoughts, brow creased and chin propped on a fish-netted hand as he stared out the window. 

Sasuke was first to the dressing room, as usual. He’d come bare-faced. Naruto watched him slip into the Nightshade persona as he stared at himself in the mirror, forcing the look to come together. A smoky eye and a bold pink lip, the only pop of color in the entire ensemble. Black fishnet top with thumholes in the sleeves, black body harness holding up a black mini skirt, the black latex thigh-high boots that on any other day would drive Naruto straight up the wall with desire.  _ Too tired. And something about Sasuke is just… too tense still. He’d probably rip my head off if I came onto him today…  _ He swallowed, taking one last, longing look at the sliver of fish-netted thigh between the hem of his skirt and top of his boot.

Sasuke only truly became Nightshade when the others started to filter in, taking their seats at their own vanity tables. The mask slid up, all calm, cool, collected professionalism. If the others could sense that something was off with him, they didn’t give it away. Naruto knew, though.  _ It’s like when we were teenagers. The tension of a ticking clock. That feeling that if just one thing goes wrong, he’ll go off like a bomb….  _

Gaara was last to arrive today, hurriedly greeting the others. Nightshade’s lips twitched just slightly in a frown, their eyes flickered just a nanosecond in warning.  _ And here’s the person most likely to set the bomb off. Please don’t pull any shit today, Gaara, please don’t piss Sasuke off…  _

“Rough commute?” Anko asked casually.

“Fucking car broke down. Had to catch the bus,” she replied as she pulled up her divider to get dressed. Naruto watched Nightshade’s jaw tic, but they kept their focus on switching out earrings.

“Again?”

“I could give you a ride, Gaara,” Lee offered. “I live nearby, it’s no problem.”   
“Yeah, that’s nice, Lee, but I’m not inconveniencing you like that.” Gaara swore, and her head popped up over the mirrors. “You still carry a sewing kit in your bag, Sasuke?”

All heads turned and eyes widened at the utterance of the Forbidden Name. Nightshade set their earring down with an air of serenity that had Naruto’s heart freezing in his chest. Angry Sasuke was much like a wild animal; every muscle in Naruto’s body tightened, ready to grab him if he lunged.

“What did you just call me?” he said, soft to the untrained ear but low and dangerous to experts like Naruto. 

“Nightshade-” Anko snorted, cutting Naruto’s warning short.

“Well, it’s about fuckin’ time we got a real name! Turns out Nightshade is an actual human person after all!” she announced despite Naruto’s waving and mouthing “NO!”

“It’s a nice name,” Sai agreed.

“Forget it,” he snipped. “You didn’t hear it.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is. Everybody’s got a name,” Anko continued, resuming her previous task of gluing on fake nails.

“I have a stage name for a  _ reason _ ,” they ground out, turning toward Gaara. “You, of all people, should know better.”

“It was an honest mistake. I’m sorry.” Nightshade rolled their eyes.

“Yeah, I’m sure it was.” Naruto shut his eyes.  _ Maybe if I wish hard enough, this will stop happening- _

“Are you accusing me of purposely outing you?” she said, pronouncing each word slowly, as if she were speaking to a child, or an idiot. The same way she used to talk to Naruto when she boxed him into a verbal corner. His heart started to pound.  _ This is bad. How do I stop it? I could never stop her before, what do I do, what do I do-?! _

The Nightshade persona unraveled. The sardonic smirk that crossed their face was pure, unadulterated Sasuke.

“I wouldn’t put it past a person like you.”

“And just what do you mean by that, Uchiha?” His eyes flashed again with a barely-contained rage.  _ And now his whole legal name is out there. Fuck fuck fuck-! _ He regained his mental footing, his smirk becoming a sneer.

“Wasn’t aware that estrogen killed braincells. Guess I’ll just have to spell it out for you: you’re an abusive, selfish, manipulative fuck.” He placed his palms on the vanity as he spoke, leaning over the mirrors to invade her personal space, opening himself for attack specifically to provoke her into throwing the first punch.

“Sasuke-”

“I don’t like you,” he continued, right over Naruto, “I don’t trust you, and I see straight through your bullshit act.” He shot her a shit-eating grin. “And personally, I can’t wait for the day your karma catches up to you.”

  
  


It happened so fast, Naruto didn’t even register what he was doing until after he’d done it. There was the crack of Gaara’s fist against Sasuke’s jaw, the glint of his teeth as he smiled, the swing of his arms as he tossed her over the mirrors and pinned her to the ground. Naruto dove at Sasuke, but he multitasked better, swiping Naruto away as he rained a hail of blows on her. Lee and Sai jumped into the fray, a tangle of limbs as three people now separated them, Lee stepping in front of Gaara as he hauled her to her feet while Naruto and Sai held Sasuke back. To Naruto’s horror, Sasuke didn’t struggle with feral rage. He laughed.

“Is that all you got? C’mon, Gaara, show me what you can do!” he taunted. Gaara growled from her spot behind Lee, wiping blood from her mouth.

“I’m not that person anymore.”

“Then why’d you throw the first punch, huh?” Her lips peeled back in a snarl.

“Stop making this harder than it needs to be!” Sasuke’s eyes glinted with manic challenge.

“Make me.”

Lee had to physically restraint Gaara from lunging at him. Sasuke just laughed as Naruto and Sai’s grips loosened, slowly realizing that Sasuke had no intention of actually fighting her again. He’d already won. 

Temari burst into the room then, Anko on her heels, and without a word she swept Gaara out, shooting Naruto and Sasuke a dirty look over her shoulder. 

“I’ll get you back for this,” Gaara hissed. The door shut with a bang, like a gavel at a court hearing, giving the final verdict that  _ this _ was over. Silence dragged on. Sai went back to his table, shaking his head, and Naruto edged just far enough away that Sasuke could turn and examine the forming bruise on his face in the mirror.

“Well  _ that _ was unnecessary,” Sai stated tactlessly. Sasuke simply smirked, covering the injury with makeup. 

“Ya’ll are  _ wild _ wild,” Anko agreed. “I haven’t seen drama like this since I was your age!” Sasuke’s smirk widened.

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“You’re crazy if you think I’m gonna let you two have a repeat performance,” Naruto grumbled. Sasuke hummed nonchalantly.

“Bold of you to assume we need permission to act up.”

“I swear to god, if you start with her-”   
“I won’t start,” he interrupted, gaze cutting to Naruto in the mirror. “But if  _ she _ starts with  _ me _ , I’m sure as hell gonna finish it.” Anko grinned on the other side of the room.

“I haven’t been this entertained in nearly a decade. Kick her ass, Sasuke!” He rolled his eyes. 

“No use enforcing ‘Nightshade’ now, huh?”   
“The novelty will wear off,” Sai dismissed. “Nightshade suits you better.” Sasuke’s mouth quirked into a lopsided smile for just a moment. 

“Thanks. Well, I’m off.”

Naruto followed Nightshade out, leaving Sasuke behind in the dressing room, professional mask tugging back into place.

“I mean it, babe. Don’t start,” he whispered.

“I won’t,” they assured, reaching back to brush their hand against his. Their gaze read sincerity even beneath the cool facade.  _ Thank god…  _

Naruto prowled the room while the other dancers came out and took their stations. Gaara was nowhere to be seen for the first half hour. When she returned, it was with a scowl and Shikamaru on her heels. Naruto didn’t make it all the way around the room in time to hear what Shikamaru said to Nightshade, but they disappeared together for a far longer amount of time than Naruto was comfortable with.  _ These stupid bitches better not have gotten themselves fired, I swear to god I’ll  _ _ kill _ _ them- _

Nightshade’s return interrupted the thought before he could finish it, climbing easily up onto their stage and picking their routine back up as if they hadn’t left to begin with. They re-amassed a crowd easily enough, and when Naruto passed them they were still wearing a mask of professionalism, not a single crack in the veneer. Their injury wasn’t visible, a cosmetic trickery layered with distorting lights, but Naruto knew it was swelling by now.

Everyone was more tense than usual when they returned to the dressing room. Lee seemed nervous, Nightshade and Gaara exuded a threat of violence that was nearly palpable, and Anko seemed to be waiting in anticipation, ready to cheer Nightshade on. Sai was as unaffected as usual. Nightshade didn’t bother sitting down to start taking their look apart like they usually did, just picked up their stuff and left. Gaara pegged them with a glare like a blowdart. Naruto intercepted before Nightshade could turn around and catch it, sending her his own pointed, warning glare.  _ Back off. Now.  _ Gaara snapped her head away before Nightshade turned theirs, giving Naruto a questioning glance when he didn’t follow them through the door. Naruto shook his head, leading them out. Temari was stationed nearby, glowering at both of them but clearly unwilling to start something.  _ She’s always been the more sensible of the two…  _

Naruto heaved a breath of relief once they were locked in the car. Sasuke cast him a searching glance, but Naruto didn’t answer it, focusing on backing out and getting home as quickly as possible. 

“You’re mad at me.”

It wasn’t a question, and Sasuke didn’t seem upset by it. Naruto sighed harshly.

“No, not really.” They rolled to a stop at a sign and, seeing no one was behind them, Naruto let the car linger there for a moment.

“Who, then?” Sasuke asked patiently.

“No one. Just a shitty situation.” He let the car roll forward again, focusing on weaving through side streets. 

“You know I had to stand my ground. Otherwise-”   
“- you would have become her bitch,” Naruto finished. “I know.” Sasuke nodded. “What did Shikamaru say to you?” Sasuke hummed, resting his hand on his chin.

“Get along or get lost, basically.”

“And?”   
“I returned to my station, didn’t I?” Naruto nodded. “I won’t start with her,” he promised again. “But I can’t just lie down and take it if she decides to start up with me again.” Naruto drew in a long breath.

“I know.”

And he did know. He’d made the mistake of yielding to her for years. Naruto was still a bit afraid of confrontation with her. But Sasuke wasn’t. Sasuke never shied away from confrontation, never tried to be a people-pleaser just to avoid a clash.  _ I just don’t wanna see him suffer the consequences for her bad behavior…  _

Naruto didn’t realize he’d turned away from home until it was too late. 

“Fuck, shit-!” Sasuke soothed him with a hand over his on the gearshift.

“Let’s go.” Naruto’s brows knit together. 

“But... Sasuke, aren’t you tired?” 

“No."

Naruto didn’t need more encouragement than that.

The bluffs were exactly as he remembered them. He drove onto the near-abandoned beach and the car scaled the incline with only a little bit of a struggle. He parked on an upper lot that didn’t even have a gate anymore; it had rusted straight off the hinges. The view was incredible. Nothing but a seemingly endless sea.

“We haven’t come here in a long time,” Sasuke murmured. Naruto nodded.

“Not since college.” He swallowed. “I’m not even sure why we’re here now.”

“You need it.” 

Evidently the answer was that simple. 

Naruto nodded, looking out over the water. High tide crashed along the shore far below them; it became audible as he lowered the windows, letting the cool night air circulate around them. He closed his eyes, taking slow, even breaths. Exhaustion stung at the backs of his eyes. The salty air singed his nose. “ _ You need it… “ _ He turned Sasuke’s words over in his head a few times.  _ I always used to come here to calm down. I haven’t needed to in so long, so why now…?  _ The answer came in the familiar roll of Sasuke’s thumb over his knuckles and the reflection of dark tides in equally dark eyes.  _ The same medicine for the same wounds…  _

This place was how they’d met. Sasuke used to sit on a dock just a little further down the beach. It was gone now, destroyed in a hurricane a few years back, but Sasuke didn’t need it anymore now that they could sit in the car together. Naruto always preferred being up on the bluffs; he looked to the left, where another incline led to a ridge most wouldn’t even bother trying to climb. Naruto spent many days watching Sasuke’s figure sit stock-still on the dock from that vantage point, looking out over the same waves. Naruto had felt connected with him even though they hadn’t known each other yet. The bond of children searching desperately for a place in the world, for answers. How funny that they both should turn to something as ever-changing as the sea for stability.

It was Naruto who’d taken the initiative to go all the way down there and talk to Sasuke for the first time.

“This seat taken?” he’d teased. Sasuke had looked at him with only a quirk of his brow, otherwise stone-faced and serious. He’d looked back out over the waves. Naruto had interpreted that as a silent affirmative and sat down right next to him, legs dangling over the edge. “I come here every day, y’know.” Sasuke had nodded almost imperceptibly. “I can see you from my usual spot. I always wondered what you looked like up close.” Sasuke’s eyes had shifted so quickly Naruto almost didn’t catch the questioning sidelong glance before his gaze pulled back to the water. He could tell Sasuke was paying him some kind of attention, and that if he just pressed the right buttons he could probably get him talking. Naruto’s lips curled in an impish grin. He was good at pushing buttons. “You’re ugly as hell.” Sasuke’s head had jerked up with an indignant scoff.

“If I’m ugly, what’s that make you?

The rest, as they say, was history. The memory pulled a bittersweet smile to his lips.  _ We were such messed-up kids. Why wasn’t anyone watching us? How were we failed at every turn like that…? _

“What are you thinking about?”

Naruto blinked. Sasuke was still staring out over the water, but somehow read Naruto’s expression out of the corner of his eye. Naruto turned his own attention back to the waves.

“I was remembering when we first met.” Sasuke smiled a little, also bittersweet.

“I was remembering our escape plan.” Naruto shook his head. Sasuke’s gaze cut toward him with just a hint of mischief. “It’s not too late to steal a boat and sail away to Japan,” he teased. Naruto laughed.

“Sometimes I wish we could…” 

Silence settled between them, but outside, the waves roared thunderously. Sasuke’s hand shifted on top of Naruto’s as he turned in his seat, pulling one foot up to cross his ankle over his thigh.

“Do you think we’ll ever make it across the sea?”

The question surprised Naruto. His eyes met Sasuke’s. His lips tugged in another slightly-mischievous grin, and Naruto couldn’t help but smile back.  _ Nothing wrong with entertaining an old conversation to soothe old wounds, right…?  _

“I think we will.” An answer he’d given countless times before.

“Yeah?” He smiled wider, gaze dipping to their joined hands on the gearshift. The same response, every time, an echo of the past in the present.   
“Yeah.”

“And what’ll we do once we get there?” Naruto finally cut the engine and turned in his seat to face him. He gazed at Sasuke from under his lashes, taking his hand between both of Naruto’s. 

“Whatever the hell we want.”

They smiled into the kiss, leaning over the center console. Hands threaded through hair as tongues swiped across each other, sending shivers skittering down their spines. Naruto sighed into Sasuke’s mouth, a teenage coil of nerves in his stomach. The sound was almost lost beneath the sound of the waves crashing. Naruto crawled into Sasuke’s seat. It took only a moment of struggling to switch positions , Sasuke settling easily in Naruto’s lap, never once disconnecting the kiss.  _ Just like when we were younger…  _ The air was cool, but a fever was breaking over Naruto’s skin, crawling from the inside out.  _ Haven’t fucked in the car since college. I still feel the same way. So giddy…  _ Sasuke reached down, and Naruto’s heart throbbed in his throat at the familiar action he hadn’t seen in years.

“Lean back.”

Naruto obeyed, and the seat shoved down and back with a few juddering clacks, leaving him reclined beneath Sasuke.

“For just a minute,” Sasuke said, voice low and sultry, eyes hooded, “let’s pretend we already made it there… and do whatever we want….” Naruto shuddered, fisting Sasuke’s hair in one hand and grabbing his hip hard with the other, forcing him down to seal their mouths in a rough kiss. Sasuke growled into him, grinding his hips hard. That was all the permission Naruto needed; he reached between them and wriggled out of his clothes only enough to expose his cock, hot and needy already. Sasuke leaned down to pull on Naruto’s shirt. The collar tore unexpectedly. Sasuke took advantage of it, biting down on the suddenly exposed shoulder. Naruto moaned, reaching under Sasuke to tug his underwear aside, fingers probing his entrance. He was already slick, velvet folds parting to allow Naruto’s fingers in. Sasuke’s silent moan ghosted across the fresh bruise, his hand slipping between them to take Naruto. He steadied himself on the seatbelt with his other hand, jerking on it until it made the tell-tale  _ clunk _ that meant it had locked in place. He sat back up as far as he could, hand working quickly over Naruto’s shaft, bringing him to full hardness in seconds.  _ Fuck, fuck, fuck…  _ He pulled his fingers back, rubbing the nub just above Sasuke’s entrance. He tossed his head back with a moan. “Naruto-”

“-yeah, yeah,” he agreed to the unfinished request.

Another quick shift, and Sasuke was enveloping Naruto in a tight, wet heat that had him seeing stars.  _ God, I’m not gonna last long, am I… _

“Fucking  _ relax _ , usuratonkachi,” he snapped. Naruto released the breath he wasn’t aware he was holding, forcing rigid muscles to loosen. Satisfied, Sasuke started to rock back and forth, making Naruto’s fevered desire spike another degree. 

“Sasuke, god…  _ d-damn _ it…”

He swung down to leave more bites along either side of Naruto’s throat, nipping the pulse-point beneath his jaw. One hand slid under Sasuke’s skirt to grab his ass, the other gripping tightly around the latex of his boot. Naruto’s hips slammed upward to meet Sasuke’s downward strikes, bones clashing. His nails bit into the supple flesh of Sasuke’s ass. For just a moment, they were twenty years old again, fresh in love. And they were fifteen, angry at the world and acting out to make it pay. And they were ten, daydreaming about escaping to different lives in a different place.  _ I don’t care where we end up, Sasuke. Just stay by my side and I’ll be happy…  _

They snapped against each other, pleasure rushing their systems, their moans coinciding with the crash of waves against the bluffs. Sasuke lost his grip on the seatbelt, but Naruto caught him, holding him close. Sasuke’s skin was salty in his mouth as the air was in his nose, suckling at the artery in his throat, pulse thrumming beneath his lips. Sasuke titled his head to nudge their mouths together, less a kiss and more a sharing of breath. Naruto rocked gently into him, a low tide to follow the violent crest of their climax. Sasuke rolled his hips softly into it, establishing a slow rhythm that had Naruto moaning from somewhere deep in his chest. Sasuke drank it in, tongue slipping back into Naruto’s mouth at last. They followed a familiar dance, wet and warm, soothing nerves better than a hot bath. Their bodies pressed tightly together, leaving no space between them, only the caress of skin and chafe of clothes. Naruto swelled inside Sasuke. His walls flexed to accommodate it. They didn’t so much as pause.

Sasuke moved first. His tongue stroked the shell of Naruto’s ear, pulling another deep moan that rung in the air instead of inside them. His teeth nipped the lobe, pinched down the side of Naruto’s throat. Naruto’s nails scratched red lines into Sasuke’s back beneath the fishnet top.

“Naruto…”   
“Sasuke…”

This orgasm was different. Long and steady, pulsing between them in a joint heartbeat. They drew it out with the continuous roll of their hips, mirroring the endless tide. They only stopped when they were both too breathless to continue, panting against each other. Sasuke’s breath was almost insufferably hot against Naruto’s clavicle, but then again, his couldn’t have been comfortable, either. Each puff against Sasuke’s forehead made more sweat bead there.

They didn’t leave the bluffs until the sky turned the pastel colors of dawn.


End file.
